THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF TOURISM

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF TOURISM

1-Today, tourism is one of the largest and dynamically developing sectors of external economic activities.

2-Its high growth and development rates, considerable volumes of foreign currency inflows, infrastructure development, and introduction of new management and educational experience actively affect various sectorsof economy, which positively contribute to the social and economic development of the country as a whole.

3-Most  highly  developed western  countries,  such  as Switzerland, Austria,

and France have accumulated a big deal of their social and economic welfare on

profits from tourism.

4-According to  recent  statistics, tourism provides about 10% of the world’s

income and employs almost one tenth of the world’s workforce.

5-All  considered, tourism’s  actual  and  potential  economic  impact  is  astounding. 

6-Many  people emphasize the positive aspects of tourism as a source of foreign exchange, a way to balance foreign trade, an  “industry without chimney” — in short, manna from heaven.

7-But  there  are  also  a  number  of  other  positive  and  negative  sides  of tourism’s economic boom for local communities, which not always considered by advocates of tourism perspectives.

8-Therefore in this paper lets find out the main social and environment impacts of tourism at the country level.

9-The  Positive  and  Negative  Social  and  Environmental  Impacts  of Tourism are as follows:-

10-Socially tourism has a great influence on the host societies. Tourism can be

both a  source of international amity, peace and understanding and a destroyerand  corrupter  of  indigenous  cultures,  a  source  of  ecological    destruction,  an assault of people’s privacy, dignity, and authenticity.

11-Here are possible positive effects of tourism:

• Developing positive attitudes towards each other

• Learning about each other’s culture and customs

• Reducing negative perceptions and stereotypes

• Developing friendships

• Developing pride, appreciation, understanding,  respect, and tolerance for

each other’s culture

• Increasing self-esteem of hosts and tourists

• Psychological satisfaction with interaction.

12-So, social contacts between tourists and local people may result in mutual

appreciation,  understanding,  tolerance,  awareness,  learning,  family  bonding

respect,  and  liking.  Residents  are  educated  about  the  outside  world  without leaving  their  homes,  while  their  visitors  significantly  learn  about  a  distinctive culture.  

13-Local communities are benefited through contribution by tourism to the improvement  of  the  social  infrastructure  like  schools,  libraries,  health  care institutions,  internet  cafes,  and  so  on. 

14-Besides,  if  local  culture  is  the  base  for attracting  tourists  to  the  region,  it  helps  to  preserve  the  local  traditions  and handicrafts which maybe were on the link of the extinction.

15-Growing interest in this culture makes the local people proud of their way of life.

16-On the  other  side tourism  can increase tension,  hostility,  and  suspicion.

17-Claims of tourism as a vital force for peace are exaggerated. Indeed there is littleevidence  that  tourism  is  drawing  the  world  together  .

18-In  this context  economic  and  social  impacts  on  the  local  community  depend  on  how much of the incomes generated by tourists go to the host communities.

19-In most all-inclusive package tours more than 80% of travellers’ fees go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies, not to local businessmen and workers.

20-On the other hand large hotel chain restaurants often import food to satisfy

foreign  visitors  and  rarely  employ local  staff for  senior management  positions,

preventing local farmers and workers from reaping the benefit of their presence.

21-Tourism has the power to affect cultural change. Successful development of  a  resource  can  lead  to  numerous  negative  impacts.

22- Among  these  are overdevelopment,  assimilation,  conflict,  and  artificial  reconstruction.  While presenting a culture to tourists may help preserve the culture, it can also dilute or even destroy it. The point is to promote tourism in the region so that it would both give incomes and create respect for the local tradition and culture.

23-There are also both negative and positive impacts of tourism on the local

ecology.

24-Tourism often grows into mass-tourism. It leads to the over consumption, pollution, and lack of resources.

25-However,  from  the  ecological  point  of  view  tourism  is  often  more acceptable  and  preferable  than  any  other  industrial  production,  as  it  is

environmentally  friendlier.

26-The  problem  is  that  it  is  not  easy  to  change  the traditional way of life of the local communities. It often creates pseudo conflicts.

27-Undoubtedly in some regions or countries the alternative industries are even more harmful to the environment than tourism.

28-Besides that in many countries of Asia and the Pacific, for example in Cook

Islands, Samoa and others, tourism is the main source of income or the friendliest

to  the  environment.  It  is  at  least  better  than  chopping  down  the  forests  or

destroying coral reefs.

29-Conclusion

Thus, the preceding paragraphs show that the impact of tourism on local

communities can be both positive and negative, whether it comes to economic,social, or environmental effects. It depends to which extent tourism is developed in a particular region.

32-Every region has its bearing capacity, that is to say the limit of the incoming influence that does not harm the host community.  If we overcome that limit negative impacts of tourism will follow.

33-Local communities use the natural resources but they also protect them. Tourists come to  enjoy the  nature  and  get  knowledge  about it,  but they  also  can  pollute  and destroy it, or on the other  side help to protect it by drawing attention to unique natural  resources in the  area. 

34-Local  communities  affect tourists  by  giving them knowledge of their culture and way of life.  

33-It is possible  for  the  tourism  industry  to  cooperate  with  other  industries  and  bring benefits to both the tourism organizations and local businesses.  The first step to achieve it is to understand the needs and desires of both the host community and the tourists.