Do the Benefits of Tourism Outweigh the Drawbacks? (Article Sample)

Do the Benefits of Tourism Outweigh the Drawbacks?
Evans Juma Kitui
[Institution Name]
Do the Benefits of Tourism Outweigh the Drawbacks?
Everybody loves travelling and all countries of the world rely on tourism to boost their economies. Apart from generating income, tourism also acts as an important source of employment for locals in the destination countries. Unfortunately, tourism has its disadvantages if not properly managed.
The main benefit of tourism is the generation of income. Proper management and expansion of the tourism industry ensures prosperity of the country / region. Most countries rely heavily on tourism and as visitors come and go there is re-distribution of wealth between nations resulting in an increase in the gross income in the host country (Eadingon 1991).
Additionally, according to Sinclair (1998), tourism also provides employment for the local people either directly as tour guides or hotel staff or indirectly through food, retail and hospitality industries. The tourism sector usually requires varying skills and hence allows the youth and women quick entry into the work force.
Tourism also gives the locals a chance to show off their culture, national heritage and perceived success to the world. This in turn brings in more tourists and investors who channel more cash into the economy of the host nation. In the long run, this results in improved infrastructure such as roads, schools and medical facilities. The overall quality of life therefore improves.
The main disadvantage of tourism is that an influx of foreign visitors can result in erosion of local cultures when the local people start emulating the tourists. Over time, cultures may be lost entirely and countries may lose their heritage. Moreover, residents of favorite tourist cities or towns may feel a loss of privacy due to the large numbers of tourists on their streets during the tourism peak seasons (Sharpley, 2014).
In conclusion, although there may be disadvantages in the tourism sector, these can be easily eliminated by proper planning and management by the governments in the host countries. Tourism is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the world and its benefits outweigh its drawbacks. All countries that are economically conscious should therefore work hard to embrace it.<...