Abstract
Tourist activity has a number of impacts on the destinations in which it takes place, among which are the environmental ones. A particular problem is the increase in water demand and wastewater production, which can compromise the balance of ecosystems. As many authors point out, there is a research gap in the comparative analysis between available water resources and the demand associated with tourism. In this respect, the main objective of this work is, on the one hand, to assess the water needs linked to the tourism industry and the capacity of natural resources to meet such a demand and, on the other hand, to estimate the economic cost of the water supply associated with the growing tourist demand in a territory, such as the island of Ibiza in Spain. It has been determined that the resources available are not sufficient to meet the water demand of the resident population at this destination, which is why it is necessary to resort to producing desalinated water. Therefore, the additional requirements associated with tourism must be met fully with desalinated water, which results in an increased cost of water management for the region. This paper also points at water losses in distribution networks and tourism seasonality as two phenomena that aggravate this issue.
Highlights
Tourism industry generates diverse impacts on the destinations where it develops [1].These impacts can be classified as economic, socio-cultural, and environmental [2]
The main objective of this work is, on the one hand, to assess the water needs linked to the tourism industry and the capacity of natural resources to meet such a demand and, on the other hand, to estimate the economic cost of the water supply associated with the growing tourist demand in a territory, such as the island of Ibiza
On the island of Ibiza, 100% of the water used for agricultural purposes and the irrigation of golf courses comes from groundwater, amounting to 3.05 cubic hectometers per year [82,83]
Summary
Tourism industry generates diverse impacts on the destinations where it develops [1]. These impacts can be classified as economic, socio-cultural, and environmental [2]. Environmental impacts derive from the intensive use of natural resources of certain enclaves. The pressure exerted by certain human activities, like tourism, are factors that have notably reshaped the balance and correct functioning of aquatic ecosystems, and with it, the future uses of their resources [4]. In this line, the EU Water Framework
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