Last week, we explored the various (surprisingly) pollutive aspects of music, and we hope that you’ve learned a thing or two just like we did! Now let’s get away from all that noise as we unpack this week’s theme – tourism and pollution.

Travelling? Now?

Remember the days when travelling was unrestricted and itineraries could be scheduled with a mouse click? Sigh, one can only reminisce those carefree days as the world is engaged in a fight against the Coronavirus. But let’s return to those glorious and leisurely days for now, and ponder, what influenced our travel decisions then? And perhaps what will shape our decisions after the pandemic is over?

Personally, I was often mesmerised by the picturesque photographs of scenic destinations that flooded my Instagram feed, and not forgetting travel documentaries that captured enrapturing aspects of countries. And that brings us to this week’s topic – tourism and consumerism.

Bringing Pictures to Life

Images of scenic views and exciting activities plastered across social media platforms have an alluring impact and play a critical role in shaping travel plans. Such posts are often the curated works of travel influencers, a category of microcelebrities that visit and promote travel destinations and specific tourism services to a niche target audience on various social media platforms (Stoldt et al, 2019). Travel influencers often have a substantial following base, ranging from thousands to millions of devoted followers (Usborne, 2018). Additionally, research conducted by Chu and Kamal (2016), revealed that these influencers are better able to forge stronger connections with their audiences as compared to traditional mass advertisements, making them effective endorsers of destinations.

Just look at the images below posted by two different travel influencers on Instagram, don’t they look enticing? They sure do to me! 😀

Moreover, many Destination Marketing Organisations (DMO) around the world have realised the extensive reach of these travel influencers, often leveraging on their influence to promote destinations, hotels and airlines amongst many others (Xu & Pratt, 2017). For one, in 2019, American based Southwest Airlines held a competition in search of 10 social influencers to create travel content for the carrier while exploring its destinations in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America (Airline Industry Information, 2019).

Okay… So How Does This Relate to Environmental Pollution?

I hear you, you must be thinking: how does all this relate to environmental pollution? Fret not, we are coming to it now! 

Did you know that reviews and experiences shared by travel influences online influence more than US$10 billion in travel purchases yearly (Compete, 2007)? This encompasses countless flights, surging levels of energy consumption, soaring waste production, rampant deforestation (Camarda and Grassini, 2003)…the list is endless! Uncontrolled conventional tourism thus poses a looming threat of pollution.

For one, Camarda and Grassini (2003) reported that tourism accounts for 60% of air travel, thus positioning itself as an huge emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides. amongst many greenhouse gases. Excessive amounts of CO2are linked to acid rain formation and photochemical pollution (Camarda & Grassini, 2003). The former could potentially alter the pH levels of habitats and remobilise previously immobile pollutants, thereby increasing the concentrations of these toxic substances.

Photochemical pollution primarily results from the combustion of petroleum products and other organic fuels for heat and power (Jaffe, 1967). The nitrogen oxides, volatile organic components (VOC), and many other pollutants could cause severe respiratory problems, cancer, and retard plant growth (EPA, 2004). A study conducted on Ponderosa Pine (Pinus Ponderosa) by Bytnerowicz et al (1990) revealed that prolonged exposure to photochemical smog causes nutrient deficiency characterised by smaller leaves, premature development and disturbance in chloroplast development. Additionally, metabolic processes such as water potential and stomatal responses are also significantly affected (Bytnerowicz et al, 1990). This reduces the amount of gaseous exchange and primary productivity of the pine.

Additionally, airplane emissions kill tens of thousands of people annually, with the United States and India incurring and estimated 450 and 1640 mortalities per year respectively (Inman, 2010). Given the transboundary nature of air pollution, the problem at hand is extremely complex and thus warrants urgent attention.

Of course, air pollution from flights is just the tip of the iceberg. Watch the video below to catch a glimpse of how tourism has left its impact on our environment:

This Is Just the Beginning

Whew that was a lot to cover! Do keep a lookout for our next post as we narrow the scope of tourism pollution to the Sky Lanterns that light up the night sky of Pingxi, Taiwan!

References:

Airline Industry Information. (2019). Southwest Airlines seeks storytellers, influencers to showcase adventurers in travel. Available from: https://search-proquest-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/docview/2180974679/fulltext/D15F77AF8A02475BPQ/1?accountid=13876 [Accessed 18 August 2020]

Bytnerowicz, A., Poth, M., & Takemoto, B. K. (1990) Effects of photochemical smog and mineral nutrition on ponderosa pine seedlings. Environmental Pollution. 67(3), 233-248. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/0269-7491(90)90189-J [Accessed 18 August 2020]

Camarda, D., and Grassini, L. (2003). Environmental impacts of tourism. Local resources and global trades: Environment and agriculture in the Mediterranean region. 263-270. Available from: https://om.ciheam.org/om/pdf/a57/04001977.pdf [Accessed 18 August 2020]

Chu, S. C., & Kamal, S. (2013). The effect of perceived blogger credibility and argument quality on message elaboration and brand attitudes. Journal of Interactive Advertising. 8(2), 26-37. Available from: https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1080/15252019.2008.10722140 

Inman, M. (2010). Plane exhaust kills more people than plane crashes. Available from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/10/101005-planes-pollution-deaths-science-environment/#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20airplane%20crashes,people%20each%20year%2C%20researchers%20say.&text=Airplane%20exhaust%2C%20like%20car%20exhaust,sulfur%20dioxide%20and%20nitrogen%20oxides. [Accessed 18 August 2020].

Jaffe, L. S. (1967). Effects of photochemical air pollution on vegetation with relation to the air quality requirements. Journal of Air Pollution Control Association. 17(1), 38-42. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00022470.1967.10468941

Stoldt, R., Wellman, M., & Ekdale,B. (2019). Professionalising and profiting: The rise of intermediaries in the social media influencer industry. Social Media + Society. Available form: https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1177/2056305119832587 

Usborne, S. (2018). Hashtag haven: inside the world of travel’s top Insta-Influencer. Available from: https://search-proquest-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/docview/2097849749?pq-origsite=summon [Accessed 17 August 2020].

Xu, R., & Pratt, S. (2018). Social media influencers as endorsers to promote travel destinations: an application of self-congruence theory to the Chinese Generation Y. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 35(7), 958-972. Available from: https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1080/10548408.2018.1468851

Images:

Influencer Marketing Hub. (n.d.). 22 travel influencers to follow in 2019. Available from: https://influencermarketinghub.com/top-instagram-travel-influencers/ [Accessed 17 August 2020].

Liao, G. (2020). Pingxi’s sky lantern festival unique to Taiwan. Available from: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3852720 [Accessed 17 August 2020]