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- Global tourism: impacts and sustainability
Global tourism: impacts and sustainability
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Tourism is one of the world's biggest industries. It can transform places, for better and for worse.
Why tourism has grown
Cheaper flights and package holidays.
More leisure time and paid holidays.
Rising incomes, especially in emerging countries such as China and India.
The internet makes booking easy and shows people new destinations.
More leisure time and paid holidays.
Rising incomes, especially in emerging countries such as China and India.
The internet makes booking easy and shows people new destinations.
Impacts on destinations
Positive: jobs, income, foreign currency, better infrastructure, and money for conservation.
Negative: jobs may be seasonal and low-paid; leakage (profits going to foreign companies); overcrowding; pollution and damage to habitats; rising prices; and loss of local culture.
Negative: jobs may be seasonal and low-paid; leakage (profits going to foreign companies); overcrowding; pollution and damage to habitats; rising prices; and loss of local culture.
Sustainable tourism
Ecotourism aims to protect the environment and benefit local people, as in Costa Rica, which has protected large areas as national parks and reserves.
In the Galapagos Islands, visitors pay an entry fee and must visit protected areas with licensed guides.
In developed countries, Venice has started charging day visitors on busy days to reduce overcrowding.
Individuals can travel responsibly; organisations certify eco-friendly businesses; governments set limits and protect areas.
In the Galapagos Islands, visitors pay an entry fee and must visit protected areas with licensed guides.
In developed countries, Venice has started charging day visitors on busy days to reduce overcrowding.
Individuals can travel responsibly; organisations certify eco-friendly businesses; governments set limits and protect areas.
Explain what is meant by economic leakage in tourism.
- Many hotels and tour companies are owned by foreign firms.
- Profits are sent back to those companies' home countries.
- So much of the money tourists spend does not stay in the destination.
Answer: Tourist spending flows out of the destination to foreign companies.
Tourism has grown with cheaper flights, more leisure time, rising incomes and the internet. It brings jobs, income and infrastructure but also seasonal work, leakage, overcrowding, environmental damage and cultural change. Sustainable approaches include ecotourism (Costa Rica), visitor limits and fees (Galapagos, Venice).
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