Globalization has made the world a small place as people visit other countries and see their favorite places. Tourism has become the bread and butter industry for many countries blessed with amazing beaches, oceans and mountains. Visitors from around the world enjoy the hot spots and indulge in numerous adventure sports. Within 10 to 15 years, tourism has become a huge Global industry churning trillions of dollars. Every facet of the economy has a positive and negative impact with tourism not being any different. Let’s analyze them in a systematical manner.
Positive impact of tourism:
Foreign exchange: Tourists arriving in a country bring in valuable foreign exchange because they spend money on accommodation and sightseeing. It is a boon for the local economy providing employment to a large number of people as they offer services ranging from transportation to hotels. Some of them work as local guides explaining the facts to the tourists in detail.
Wide Exposure: People flying to various tourist destinations are introduced to the local culture. They learn the language and tend to appreciate the diversity present on the planet. Widely traveled individuals are tolerant of the differences and tend to be more easygoing.
Social changes: When the visitors appreciate the culture of the country, the local communities are filled with a sense of pride and self-confidence. Tourists buy the local artifacts from the people helping them to raise their living standards. Compared to manufacturing, tourism has become more popular as an industry as it doesn’t damage the environment significantly.
Environmental impact: Rather than cutting the forests, people tend to preserve them because they are a boon for tourism. Individuals from around the globe visit the place and enjoy the company of diverse flora and fauna. As a result, funding is generated to ensure that the habitat of the wild animals is intact.
Negative effects of tourism:
Drain on Economy: In order to attract the tourists, infrastructure has to be created from the ground up. Nobody would like to travel to a city if the roads are studded with potholes. In order to finance the development, people are taxed to raise the funds. Moreover, tourism is a seasonal industry with visitors rarely visiting during the off-season. In addition, the arrival of the tourists increases the cost of the essential goods for the locals.
Social ramifications: One of the biggest problems facing the tourist’s hot spots around the world is drug and alcohol abuse. If the visitors do not respect the culture of the locals, it can generate tensions and often fight. Prostitution is rampant in places where the tourists arrive in hordes. It is the job of the local community to inform the police in case of crime. People arriving at tourist destination should behave according to the laws of the land and do not lose control.
Environmental issues: Although tourism as an industry is least polluting, it still can cause significant damages to the environment. Businesses tend to open more hotels for accommodating an increasing number of visitors that might require the clearing of the virgin land.
Conclusion:
In short, tourism has both advantages and disadvantages however on a scale of one to ten it scores 100% as far as benefits are concerned.