International travel makes people prejudiced rather than broad- minded. What are its causes and what measures can be taken to solve this problem?
A general perception is emerging where undertaking overseas travel fuels bias rather than fostering broader perspectives. The reasons seem to stem from several factors, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs, along with their possible solutions.
To start with, a lobby strongly propounds that cultural misunderstanding is one of the major causes of this mindset. In other words, many tourists, who are ill-informed may misinterpret local customs, gestures, or traditions, leading to inculcating a negative impression. Moreover, individuals also face immense difficulties in some parts of the world: scams, poor services, or lack of safety, which may cause generalisation about the entire culture or a country. For example, a recent survey revealed that those visiting Paris were not content with the services provided: public toilets, drinking water, and so on, for tourists, and would avoid visiting again in the future.
Having said that, there are plenty of viable remedies available at hand. One of them is that travel and tour organizers could conduct orientation for the tourists, where they are exposed to basic knowledge of local customs and etiquettes to reduce misunderstanding and aid them to integrate well with the locals. Additionally, the lawmakers could deploy teams, especially in the tourist spots to curb the unlawful activities, and ensure there are adequate would-class facilities available for visitors in order to extend the best experience, which would encourage a favorable engagement and revisits.
To conclude, the reasons are lack of familiarization with the host norms and customs, safety concerns and inadequate facilities. These can be tackled if the lawmakers can provide services, create a safe environment for tourists, and tour operators offer orientation about the native culture and customs of destination societies.
