Tourism is a modern form of colonialism. It distorts local economies, causes environmental damage and ruins the places it exploits. To what extent would you support or reject this idea
Yes / no? Justify by giving an explanation
Yes: many are wary of this activity, as it allows the powerful societies to overwhelm weaker ones and eventually gain control through cultural interaction that leads to economic dominance.
+No: there are no parallels since imperialism was all about slavery and exploitation, while this activity is helping bring cultures closer.
I disagree
+ this sector has opened the way for bringing people from diverse cultures and ethnicities together, creating opportunities for friendly exchange of views and ideas and fostering bonds.
Helping generate revenues for the countries in invaluable foreign exchange.
It is helping generate business worth billions and employment across a cross-section of skills - directly or indirectly related to this industry - for millions.
Helping generate revenues for the upkeep of places of tourist interest.
Creating awareness among natives about the relevance of their heritage.
Agree
Tourists act irresponsibly and go around littering and defacing places.
This industry is also causing an expansion of carbon footprint in areas frequented by visitors.
They with their mannerisms become a subject of wrath of locals.
They are causing a distortion in local trades and employment patterns.
Tourism, the modern phenomenon, despite being the largest sector globally, has earned the wrath of detractors who blame it for predisposing society and environment to an array of complications: economic, cultural, and environmental, and even compare it to imperialism. I fail to concur with these allegations in absolute terms, and shall elucidate my stand in following paragraphs.
To commence with, those harboring cynicism profess that this industry is promoting cultural invasion by virtue of alien travelers overwhelming the locals, especially the youth, with their mannerisms and clothing, thereby creating demands for foreign goods, and causing the advent of consumer companies, who eventually, take (wrest) control from local governments. Moreover, many are leaving their jobs to associate themselves with this industry, in turn, becoming susceptible to seasonal unemployment. Additionally, this is also leading to expansion of carbon footprint.
Nonetheless, these accusations lack conviction since influx of tourists into a country facilitates intermingling of cultures, and thus, helping forge harmonious relationships unlike slavery, an outcome of colonial settings. When guests and hosts interact with each other, they attempt to comprehend the distinct customs and ways of life, broadening the mindsets and creating bonhomie between the two.
Similarly, undeniably, the economic impact of this domain is unmatched: it has been responsible for creating direct and indirect employment - across a cross-section of skills - for millions, and businesses worth billions. Not only this, the state is also a direct beneficiary of this activity, for it collects taxes from all the nodes (venues) serving tourists, along with direct revenues in the form of foreign exchange.
In hindsight, the fears being expressed by critics of tourism are not well-founded since this form of leisure travel has benefitted the destination societies and travelers alike, churning out economic activity, and enabling the creation of cross-cultural bonds.
