The volume of international travel is increasing with globalisation and cheaper travel. As a result, it is argued that the environment is suffering and that restrictions should be imposed on such travel. I think that international travel does pose some risks for the environment, but the effects can be mitigated.
There is no doubt that as the number of international travellers increases there is increased danger of the environment being harmed. This risk comes not only from the growing volume of flights, but also from the impact of huge numbers of people visiting vital eco systems, especially fragile areas around the world like Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. Another worrying development is the increase in cruise ships ferrying thousands of passengers around the world. Therefore, some are calling for international travel to be restricted.
People have always travelled around the world and it would be very difficult to restrict international travel, especially for tourism and business as it is economically beneficial for local communities. If people are concerned about the impact of international travel, rather than trying to impose restrictions, taxes can be introduced to help protect local conservation areas. Such projects can also provide local jobs and help develop local communities.
Moreover, people nowadays are much more conscious of the impact of international travelling and seek to offset the impact by paying for the planting of trees for example. People are also travelling more by railway than in the past as railways become faster, more convenient and integrated, which reduces any threats to the environment.
As we have seen, there are risks to the environment from increased international travel, but such travel is important and any risks can be offset by different measures.