Over 18 million tourist visited the Lake District in 2023. Such large numbers of visitors bring both great advantages to the area along with some big challenges.
Positive impacts
- The needs of tourists create new jobs
- Tourists support local shops and products
- Money from tourists can be used to conserve and improve the area
- Services for tourists benefit local people, for example public transport and roads
- Local people value and care for the environment
Negative impacts
- Jobs in tourism are often seasonal and wages are low
- Prices rise in shops as tourists have more money to spend
- Shops cater for the requirements of tourists not local people
- Large numbers of tourists can damage the environment. For example footpath erosion - take a look at Fix the Fells (opens in new window)
- Demand for holiday homes pushes up house prices for local people. Read more in Affordable housing
- More pollution and litter
- More traffic congestion and parking issues
- More pressure on infrastructure such as sewage systems, roads and facilities.
