Also, because domestic tourists primarily use private vehicles to reach their destinations, environmental implications of motor vehicle use such as air pollution and increased pressures on transport infrastructure will need to be addressed. Success in protecting the environment while fostering recreation and tourism will depend on the cooperative involvement of government, industry, conservation organisations and local communities. Examples of current tools facilitating the tourism planning process are Regional Environmental Plans, Environmental Impact Statements, environmental audits where environmental impacts are monitored and checked back against impact predictions, and techniques for environmental cost-benefit analyses. Another important part of the management process is the need to assess key environmental effects and develop practical safeguards to protect the environment. Research dealing with the effect of tourism on the environment so far has been restricted.
Most environmental impacts related to tourism are specific to particular sites or regions.
Key areas that have been identified by governments at both national and state level for special attention through inquiries include the coastal zone, semi-arid and arid lands, and alpine areas. The revised policy was exhibited in 1994 and is to be released with additional information late in 1995. The environmental impacts of tourism are determined by the rate of growth of tourism, the spread or concentration of tourism across the state and the seasonal nature of the tourism industry. SoE information compiled 1995.