According to the latest UNWTO statistics "a record number of tourists travelled around the world in 2004 and the number of arrivals increased by 10 per cent to reach nearly 764 million, adding nearly 70 million more tourists to the 2003 total" . The same statistics indicate that one billion tourists will travel around the world by the end of this decade. These millions of people are already consuming and will continue to demand enormous quantities of energy, water, and natural resources to support their holidays. They will bring income to local communities, and will support employment. At the same the increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price hikes that negatively affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately.

As any productive sector tourism brings negative impacts and positive effects for the environment, the society and the economy at local, national and global levels.

• Environmental impacts
  
  
• Socio-cultural impacts
  
  
• Economic impacts