Positive And Negative Impacts Of Bar Harbor Tourism

The small tourist town of Bar Harbor, on Mount Desert Island, Maine shows a perfect example of the positive and negatives impacts of tourism, as its history is almost entirely shaped from the impacts. Well-known for its unique culture and tourism, Bar Harbor is easily distinguished as it is home of the Acadia National Park, and carriers the popular icon of the lobster. However, Bar Harbor was not always so well-known, it only became popular after tourists started arriving on the island in the 1800s, which redefined the island as a tourist mecca instead of the previous small fishing and farming town (Hornsby, 1993). Nowadays, the island has a population of 10,000 residents, and the park alone gets 3.3 million visitors each year (ouracadia.com;

Along with the tourist culture, there must be jobs to support it, which boosts the local economy. In the case of Bar Harbor, the tourists lead to seasonal shifts in the economy and surroundings, as nearly all the tourists come only during the summer months. However, along with the culture are negative consequences, such as the cruise ships that bring along excess noise pollution, light pollution, and overcrowdness. Regardless of these destructive consequences cruise ships still persist, as it has remained profitable to do so. From an economical view, the cruise ships are wonderful as they are in a symbiotic relationship with the local tourist shops, but the neglect for the other consequences have wrecked a lot of the park

The original tourists appreciated Bar Harbor for its beauty and landscape, however modern tourists are going there for its commercialized attractions. The commercialization has changed the way tourists experience the park, which is now dictated by souvenirs, tours, and other tourist attractions. The importance of the appreciation of the landscape is philosophized by Rachel Carson, an American biologist and writer who helped advance the environmental movement, who said “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”