Tourism During the Pandemic

Prior to the pandemic, tourists were destroying local ecosystems through crowding and partying. For instance, the Tongass National Forest in southern Alaska is home to large populations of whales, deer, and bears, making this area a popular tourist destination. The temperate rainforest’s ecosystem is harmed by crowding and constant human interaction with native species. Not only this, but beaches are extremely fragile to persistent tourism. Pigs on the beaches of Big Major Cay Island are dying en masse due to tourists feeding them too many treats, alcohol, or from trying to ride them.

Scientists in Hanauma Bay, Hawaii found that 412 pounds of poisonous sunscreen in the ocean near popular beaches, which harm coral reefs. To react to this issue, Hawaii banned the sale of certain sunscreen products containing oxybenzone and octinoxate – the killers of coral.

The perfect solution to ecosystem destruction by tourism would be to end this business. That is exactly what the COVID-19 pandemic did. Normally crowded streets in cities are now empty, bringing coyotes and other animals back to areas like San Franscico and Chicago.

Medical facilities were able to open in these deserted public spaces, which attempted to ease the increasing pressures on hospitals from the pandemic. Satellite data from the European Space Agency and NASA show a drastic reduction in atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide, which is produced by fossil-fuel combustion around the world. While local businesses are suffering due to the pandemic, the ecosystem is thriving.

Though there is one place during the pandemic that is suffering from over-tourism at the moment: the Chatham Islands. These groups of islands are a part of New Zealand’s territory, and are open to domestic tourism. Demand for touring this island is high due to the remoteness of these islands, and COVID-19 tests are not required. However, there is not enough lodging to support the massive growth in tourism, and camping is forbidden. This will actually benefit the island and the locals, as this allows them to receive more infrastructure grants from the government, yet their delicate ecosystem and COVID-19 cases could suffer.

In America, Hawaii recently reopened to mainland U.S. tourists on October 15th, as local businesses can sustain themselves. Tourism is the largest source of income for the states’ economy, as it brought in $17.75 billion in 2019 according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Visitors have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test that is no more than 3 days old, and some cities require another test after arrival.

On November 14th, the program opened to visitors from Japan as well. This bothered many local Hawaiians, as they could previously enjoy the beaches without crowding tourists. Since both the Chatham Islands and Hawaii reopened to tourism, their ecosystems could be threatened again and cases could rise, although their businesses and economy can be reinvigorated.