The Political Costs and Advantages of Tourism

Whilst the virtues of international tourism are actually extolled as a major drive for peace and understanding between nations (World Tourism

Organization, 1980; 1982; Litvin, 1998; Leitner, 1999), the reality is often far removed from that utopian image. Long-haul travel between developed in addition to developing countries is increasing annually and is bringing into direct contact with each other people from widely different backgrounds is actually very contrasting lifestyles and levels of income. Where these disparities are very great, the political as well because the sociocultural consequences may be severe.

In extreme cases international tourism has imposed a sort of ‘neo-colonial’ type development on rising nations (Hall, 1994; Hall in addition to Jenkins,

1995). Quite simply, this neo-colonialism takes power from your local and regional levels and concentrates it into the hands of multinational companies. These businesses will negotiate only at your national level and expect any ‘problems’ to become solved by national governments, otherwise investment will be withdrawn. At the operational amount, the higher paid, more ‘respectable’ posts in hotels along with establishments are sometimes occupied by expatriates who contain the necessary expertise and experience.

Even though the lower paid, more menial jobs are generally reserved for the indigenous population, it is possible that like apparent discrimination can foster resentment which enables it to sour international relationships. In extreme cases such development may also inhibit the growth of a national consciousness in the newly dependent country. Domestic tourist, on the other hand, can become an integrating force strengthening country wide sentiment. Peoples in outlying locations are traditionally more preoccupied together with local village affairs and, with consequence, sometimes prove easy feed to separatist agitators. If, by go other parts of the similar country, such people can commence to experience pride in their country wide heritage, a sense of national unity will help to prevent regional fragmentation.

In the more developed countries, visits to national historical monuments, stately houses, and ancient battlefields form a tremendous motivation for domestic travel, and similar developments happen to be taking place in other elements of the world. In many building countries, students and groups of schoolchildren go other regions of their homelands, and such movements of people can do much ultimately to strengthen the political unity of a country. Provided that the individual characteristics and identities with the various regions are not submerged and lost, such travel could benefit both tourists and occupants alike. Unfortunately, contact between peoples of different backgrounds is not always beneficial and may sometimes generate additional cultural, social, in addition to moral stresses. Although the mixing of people from different aspects of a country can produce an even better understanding of each other’s life style and a better appreciation of problems specific to particular parts, it can at the same time create misunderstandings and even distrust.