The impacts of tourism on the environment a case study of Guam
Roos K. 1995. The impacts of tourism on the environment a case study of Guam. Oregon State University
Today, many Pacific island nations look to tourism as a development strategy. Often their leaders do not fully understand the environmental consequences of that decision. Nor do they fully appreciate how difficult it is to control tourism growth or its impacts. Guam provides an example of a Pacific island that focused on tourism development for 28 years, and continues to do so today. While this strategy has been economically beneficial to many, the environmental costs have been high. Moreover, the government's efforts to control tourism and protect the environment have generally failed. The author suggests some reasons why control efforts have failed, and provides recommendations for other small island states contemplating tourism development.