The impact of tourism

GOVERNMENTS HAVE SEIZED ON TOURISM AS A WAY OF CREATING EMPLOYMENT  AND BRINGING INCOME - PREFERABLY FOREIGN EXCHANGE - INTO TROUBLED ECONOMIES.  FOR YEARS TOURISM CAPACITY TO FILTER WEALTH THROUGH COMMUNITIES HAS BEEN A MAJOR ARGUMENT IN IT'S  FAVOUR . THE TOURIST SPENDS ON ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND SOUVENIRS , BRINGING INCOME TO THE SUPPLIERS OF THESE GOODS AND SERVICES WHOSE MONEY WILL IN TURN CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ECONOMY .

BUT IF THE HOTELS ARE FOREIGN OWNED , LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE LITTLE TO GAIN . NOR ARE THEY BETTER OFF IF TOURISTS STAY IN THEM BUT COME PREPARED TO BE SELF BY SUFFICIENT . IN BOTH CASES TOURISTS ARE OFTEN STRONGLY RESENTED BY LOCALS,WHO SEE HUGE INCREASE IN PRICES AS THE ONLY TANGIBLE RESULT OF TOURISM'S ECONOMIC IMPACT . 

JOB CREATION IS ANOTHER COMMON SPIN-OFF FROM TOURISM . GOVERNMENTS SUBSIDISE  TOURISM PROJECT IN THE EXPECTATION OF INCREASING EMPLOYEMENT OPPORTUNITIES  IN THE NEW HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS. BUT SEARCH WORK IS FREQUENTLY POORLY PAID AND IS SEASONAL . LOCAL PEOPLE MAY BE NEITHER  WILLING TO DO DEMEANING UNSKILLED JOBS NOR HIGHLY TRAINED ENOUGH TO BE MANAGERS AND ENTREPRENEURS , THEY STAND ON THE SIDELINES WHILE EXPATRIATE STAFF AND MIGRANTS FILL THE VACANCIES  .  SOCIAL TENSION SURFACE ALL TOO EASILY IN SUCH SITUATIONS . 

ANY KIND OF CHANGE BRING TENSION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TENDS TO EXAGGERATE THE GENERATION GAP AS THE YOUNG MASTERS NEW SKILLS AND THE OLDER GENERATIONS FIND ITS TRADITIONS DEVALUED OR REJECTED . TOURISTS BRINGS WITH THEM VERY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND IDEAS , DEMONSTRATED BY THE WAY THEY DRESS AND BEHAVE , AND THESE MAY BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THE YOUNG GENERATION .

ON THE BEACHES AND BAR STRIPS OF ASIA , AFRICA AND THE PACIFIC YOU CAN SEE HOW READILY YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LURED  FROM THEIR VILLAGES BY THE PROMISE OF BRIGHT LIGHTS AND MONEY . 

A COUNTRY'S CULTURE IS OFTEN THE MAJOR ATTRACTION , PARTICULARLY WHEN IT CAN BE COMBINED WITH   SUN , SEA AND SAND . IN THAILAND , AS IN MANY COUNTRIES WITH A RICH HERITAGE TOURISTS DEMANDS HAVE GIVEN A   MUCH NEEDED BOOST TO  
LOCAL ARTS AND CRAFTS AFTER ALL , A LOCAL ECONOMY CAN ONLY STAND SO MANY BASKET  POTS AND CARVINGS . THE PHENOMENAL GROWTH IN ARTS FESTIVAL FROM EDINBURG TO HONG  KONG , HAS BROUGHT  TOURISTS IN TO FESTIVAL GIVEN SOME OF THEIR INHABITANTS ACCESS TO GLOBAL CULTURE . BUT WHAT OF THEIR OWN CULTURE ? THE STORY HERE IS LESS ROSY . 

IN RELATION TO THE ENVIRONMENT , EVEN THE MOST BLINKERED TOURISTS IS FACED WITH THE TOURISM THE TOURIST DESTROY THE VERY THINGS THEY HAVE COME FROM 

IN KENYA , A COUNTRY THAT DEPENDS ON THE TOURISM , THERE IS REALLY DANGER OF TOURIST POLLUTION IN THE MOST POPULAR GAME PARKS . ANIMALS IN THE AMBOSELL RESERVE ARE CONSTANTLY DISTURBED BY TOURIST BUSES , THEIR PREY SCATTERED , THEIR FEEDING GROUNDS DAMAGED . IF THE ANIMALS DISAPPEAR  ,SO MAY TOURISM.

THE HORDES WILL ALWAYS COME TO CERTAIN PLACES , BUT TOURISM IS A FICKLE INDUSTRY . WHAT IS POPULAR NOW MAY NOT BE NEXT SEASON , AND GOVERNMENT WHO INGNORE THIS CHARACTERISTICS OF TOURISM ARE TAKING A RISK . SRI LANKA AND PHILLIPPINES ARE THE GREAT EXAMPLES OF THE COUNTRIES WHOSE DEPENDENCE ON THE TOURISM HAS PROVED A DISSASTROUS POLICY . TOURISTS NATURALLY AVOID GOING ANYWHERE , THAT IS PERCIEVED TO BREUNSAFE AND BADD PUBLICITY , SENDS TOURISTS NUMBER PLUMMETING . 

IT WOULD BE TEMPTING FACED WITH SUCH DEPRESSING EVIDENCE OF TOURISMS IMPACT , TO THROW UP OUR HANDS IN DESPAIR AND GO HOME . BUT THAT WOULD DENY THE VERY REAL JOYS OF TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY THAT ARE ALSO PART OF TOURISM EXPERIENCE ..................