Mass tourism is one of the largest industries in the world (Hunter, 2002). However, it can lead to many types of pollution such as noise, air and water pollution and can have quite a negative impact on the environment (Marx, 1997). Eco-tourism, on the other hand, can lead to more positive and less negative impacts. Ecotourism has grown rapidly in the travel industry (Higgins, 1996). This is most likely because it has so many benefits. Ecotourism can be defined as “travel to natural areas that preserves the environment and supports the well-being of local people” (Winson, 2006, p. 8). Promoting eco-tourism will help reduce the amount of pollution, encourage environmentally friendly activities which can provide many opportunities and, most importantly, protect our environment. Mass tourism can cause a large amount of pollution due to many tourists traveling by car, bus, or airplane, which can produce air and noise pollution (Marx, 1997). Noise pollution from aircraft can have a huge impact on the environment, however, gaseous emissions are probably the biggest problem affecting aircraft (Copeland, 1992). Traffic jams often occur due to mass tourism and this can cause more harm than good to the environment too. This is known as congestion (Marx, 1997). Congestion also occurs in the air and poses a huge threat to air travel as it leads to unnecessary energy consumption, which increases waste. (Copeland, 1992). This shows that it should be a priority to reduce how often people drive and fly, and they should be aware of how much energy they are using or even wasting. Air travel provides a lot of money to the tourism industry due to the fac...... middle of paper ......, BR (1996). The global structure of the nature tourism industry: ecotourists, tour operators and local businesses. Journal of Travel Research, 35(2), 11-18.Hunter, C. (2002). Sustainable tourism and tourist ecological footprint. Environment, development and sustainability, 4(1), 7-20. Jacobson, S., & Lopez, A. (1994). Biological impacts of ecotourism: tourists and nesting turtles in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 22(3), 414-419Marx, A. (1997). Towards sustainability? the case of tourism and the EU. European Journal of Environmental Law, 6(6), 181-186Nimrod, G. (2007). Retirees' leisure time: Activities, benefits, and their contribution to life satisfaction. Leisure Studies, 26(1), 65-80.Winson, A. (2006). Ecotourism and sustainability in Cuba: does socialism make a difference?. Sustainable tourism journal, 14(1), 6-23.