The negative impact of tourism on the environment is significant.

Changing of the climate

Depletion of local natural resources

Problems of pollution and waste

Excessive consumption, often in places where resources are already scarce.

Load on local land use

Loss of natural habitat and increased pressure on endangered species.

These effects could gradually destroy the ecological resources on which tourism itself depends.

Biodiversity simply means the variety of plants and animals on the planet and the ecosystems in which they live. This concept includes the protection of wildlife and endangered species.

Biodiversity is vital to tourism.

The coast, mountains, rivers and forests are the main attractions for tourists.

Wildlife and landscapes are important attractions for mountain tourism

• Employment and economic development

• Export earnings

• Income from the management of protected areas

• Increasing tourist awareness of biodiversity and the need for conservation

Wildlife tourism can have adverse effects on wildlife by causing changes in their behavior, altering their physiology, or damaging their habitat. Wild animal species are often particularly vulnerable to disturbance during their breeding and feeding stages.

Tour operators can help prevent climate change by reducing the amount of energy they use. This can be achieved by using sustainable energy sources and reducing energy consumption in offices:

Climate control system in buildings (temperature control, use of timers for the heating/cooling system and thermal insulation of the building)

Office lighting (replacement with energy-saving lighting)

Computer hardware (low power models, turn them off when not in use)

Sustainable waste management is based on three goals:

• reduction

• reuse

• processing.

Try to produce as little waste as possible, for example by purchasing all materials in bulk. This reduces the amount of packaging materials and purchasing costs. You can separate waste so it can be recycled: glass, paper/cardboard, plastic, toner/ink, batteries, organic waste, etc.

Develop a food waste policy

Track food waste.

Communicate food waste goals to customers.

Apply Smart Menu Planning Strategies

Be realistic about portion sizes

Inform accommodation facilities and cafes about this

Recycle, reuse and redistribute surplus food

Accommodation is an essential element of the tourism supply chain. As a rule, the type of accommodation is a key element in the choice of tourists for recreation: hotels, guest houses and yurt camps.
Hotels and other types of accommodation can take steps to reduce energy and water consumption and waste. Tourists can help by not wasting water, reusing towels and reducing electricity, heating and air conditioning consumption.

It is important that there are guidelines for the use of animals and they must include the 5 animal freedoms:

• The right to satisfy hunger and thirst (Freedom from hunger and thirst).

• The right to be free from pain, disease and injury (Freedom from injury and disease).

• The right to be free from great stress and fear (Freedom from grief and suffering).

• The right to comfort (Freedom from discomfort).

• The right to live in conditions as close as possible to natural (Freedom to carry out species-typical behavior).

Today, these 5 rights (5 freedoms) of animals are an internationally recognized method for assessing the level of animal welfare.

Tourism accounts for more than 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with 90% of this coming from transport.

By 2030, CO2 emissions from tourism are expected to increase by 25% compared to 2016. From 1,597 million tons to 1,998 million tons.

In Central Asia, the average temperature has risen from 4.8°C to 6°C over 20 years. According to the most pessimistic forecasts, over this century the average temperature in Kyrgyzstan could rise by 8°C from today's average temperature.

• Changing of the climate

• Overexploitation of natural resources for food, materials, fresh water and recreation

• Emergence of alien invasive species

• Pollution

• Violation of wildlife habitats

• Land conversion for tourism

Millions of animals are used annually in the tourism industry as show and entertainment animals, porters and carriers, prey for hunting and fishing, and for competition and sport.

In Central Asia, there is a problem with hunting and fishing, horses are not used correctly for riding or transporting goods, golden eagles for hunting, as well as poor maintenance in zoos.

Tour operators can significantly reduce their environmental impact. These measures not only protect the natural environment, but also lead directly to financial benefits. The focus is on:

Energy, water and waste management

Plastic waste, food waste

Reduction of CO2 emissions from transport, accommodation facilities

Ensuring nature conservation during tours

Tours with animals

Saving water is something few people think about at work. In office buildings, most of the water is used by toilets. You can reduce water consumption by installing water-saving devices such as:

Water meters

Water flow restrictions

Sensor mixers

Aerators

Water leaks are often sources of wasteful water consumption.

Encourage customers to bring reusable water bottles with them on tours

Provide transportation with reusable large water bottles (20L)

Incentivize accommodation facilities to offer free drinking water

Educate customers about the problem of single-use plastic

Incentivize accommodation providers to reduce plastic toiletries.

Use reusable lunch box containers

Buy in bulk to reduce packaging

• Distance (The greater the distance, the higher the CO2).

• Fuel economy (Older cars emit much more pollutants than new ones).

• Driving style (A relaxed driving style results in approximately 10-20% lower fuel consumption, resulting in lower CO2 emissions)

• Vehicle maintenance (Proper vehicle maintenance can reduce fuel consumption. This includes tire inflation)

• Accessories (Using car accessories (roof racks or trailer racks increase fuel consumption by 20-50% due to increased air resistance).

• Number of passengers (The more people in the car, the less emissions per person).

It is important that tourists observe the following rules during tours:

• Observed animals and birds from a distance and did not feed wild animals.

• Do not leave garbage in nature and take it with you

• Only make small fires and use only dead, completely dry firewood. They burned them to the ground. At the end, the fire was extinguished and the ashes were thrown away.

• Silence

• Plants were not torn, even for a herbarium