Coastal Tourism
Music: Bittersweet by Punch Deck.
Both the quantity of available freshwater and the quality of coastal waters in popular holiday destinations are heavily affected by tourism. Daily water consumption per hotel room is estimated at up to 3423L. This is further increased by food production, construction activities, and leisure facilities such as swimming pools. In some regions tourist water consumption is therefore many times higher than local water consumption. The management of wastewater is also problematic in some areas, as it is often discharged untreated into the environment. Chemical analyses show that the concentration of chemicals from sunscreens in coastal waters increases sharply during tourist use in the bathing season, especially in surface nearshore waters. These substances have a detrimental effect on the growth of microalgae.The work Puddle reflects the careless use of water resources in tourist areas.
Sources: Gössling et al., “Tourism and Water Use: Supply, Demand and Security – An International Review”, Tourism Management, vol. 33, (2012): 1-15.
Tovar-Sánchez, A. et al., “Sunscreen Products as Emerging Pollutants to Coastal Waters”, PLOS ONE 8, vol. 6, (2013).