Environmental impacts caused by the tourist industry in Elafonisos Island and the Neapoli district, Greece

Many studies have shown that a tourist service or product is a blend of ecological, social and economic sub-systems, operable in the area of interest. Carrying capacity assessment has become an indispensable tool for formulating policy and strategies in the tourist industry worldwide. It is well known that Greece depends heavily on the tourist trade. For the Greek coastal tourist industry, the environment, both natural and man made, plays a leading role in the sustainable development of this economic activity. It is the purpose of this paper to apply novel environmental protection tools in order to estimate impacts inflicted by the tourist industry on local fauna and flora, as well as the whole well being of the physical environment.