Tourism is becoming ever more popular and wide-spread, even in developing countries. While it is often seen as a clear advantage to the local economy, in reality, this may be less clear-cut.
The value of tourism in the economy may in many cases be helpful to the economy of the country in a significant fashion, whether that’s domestic or international tourism.
We all know the main importance of the tourism industry in the country; it gives the economy a lot of growth opportunities and creates a significant number of revenue streams in the country. Does the tourism business help developing countries grow their economy? What is an effective way in order to promote the tourism industry of the country?
In addition, can the tourism industry negatively affect the local livelihoods and economies? If so, how?
Tourism’s current role in a situation of expanding economic opportunities in developing countries presents a paradox. However, this paradox may actually be the main tool to push the economy of the country towards globalization and success.
Tourism is one of the most popular and helpful industries in the world. Although tourism is a complex and fragmented industry, and it is very difficult to define and measure, tourism activity is certainly dramatically expanding in developing countries.
One good example is China’s tourism industry; it’s one of the fastest-growing industries in the national economy and one of the most competitive industries in the world’s market. Over the years, one of China’s main tax revenues and key to economic development comes from the growing tourism activity in China. As China’s economic power is growing enormously, many visitors travel to the country on business, and some of the visitors travel for leisure.
One of the main factors that help China’s tourism activity to continue to increase is not only the fact that their national economy has seen continuous growth, but also that people want to witness and further know the intriguing cultural heritage of the Chinese.
Tourism serves as an increasingly important connection to the world’s markets. Although promoting the tourism industry may not be easy for the country, it is necessary to know that most often, the target audience of the tourism industry is wide and not limited to a particular social group. Of course, some people, such as students, may be particularly keen to travel, but you don’t even really need to go out of your country to have a holiday or visit a particularly interesting place; visiting some places in your country may actually help the country’s economy by assisting your domestic tourism industry.
Despite the economic importance of tourism, the government, especially in developing economies still hasn’t recognized the importance and benefits of the tourism industry. The World Tourism Organization cited some extensive data and the growing importance of tourism in developing countries.
The growth of the tourism industry may provide benefits to the national revenues of the country but can also have negative impacts on local livelihoods and economies. By pushing up local prices and the country’s exchange rate, it can affect the cost of living of the locals that are not earning that much from their work. It can also deprive local people of the local natural resources on which they rely, such as water, food, and fishing grounds.
Although the growth of tourism can provide benefits to other industries of the country such as enhancing transport, electricity, and improving the technical local infrastructure, the effect of the growth of the tourism industry may quite alarming and may negatively affect the status and cost of living of the local people.
The tourism industry has a great potential to help expand economic opportunities in local communities. For sure, countries that successfully engaged the tourism industry as their main asset of revenue, know more about the facts, factors that should be considered in tourism growth, and strategies in developing the economy of the country.
Thus, balancing what is good and beneficial on the one hand, and inappropriate and harmful to the country or to the entire people within the society should be noted and considered.
There may be many ways in which to improve and develop the status of the country. The tourism industry may be an option but country leaders should start to think and enhance useful ideas and factors that may be helpful to elevate the status of the country’s economy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Charlene Lacandazo works for Rosetta Translation, a translation agency that specializes in Swedish translation services.
