Tourism and Its Effects on the CommunityEssay Preview: Tourism and Its Effects on the Community1 rating(s)Report this essayTourism and Its Effects on the CommunityTourism is the largest industry in the world and the fact that it is still growing portrays a very bright future for the industry. Many countries have made billions out of this industry and are still earning more but to gain something, we have to lose something. In this essay I will discuss the effects of the tourism industry on the community taking into account important factors such as politics, economics, the environment and the historical factors.
Tourism is the premier industry in many South Pacific countries. Not only does it bring a considerable amount of foreign currency, it also provides employment to many people. Its economic benefits are unquestionable but an over dependence on it may cause the downfall of other industries and the livelihood of the people associated with it. Many countries, especially developing countries with little ability to explore other resources, have taken up tourism as a way to improve the economy. However, as a result their survival often has become dependent on customary tourism revenue arrival. In The Gambia, for example, 30% of the workforce depends directly or indirectly on tourism. According to the WTO, in small island developing states, percentages can range from 83% in the Maldives to 21% in the Seychelles and 34% in Jamaica (www.unatlas.com). Another such indirect case is the sugar industry in Fiji. Many people think that a larger portion of government time and money has been dedicated to the tourism industry and this has led to the decline in the earnings of the sugar industry. Thus many farmers have stopped farming sugar cane due to the lack of government support.
Another negative economic impact of tourism is the “all inclusive” vacation packages. Local businesses often see their chances to earn income from tourists severely reduced by the creation of these vacation packages. When tourists remain for their entire stay on the same cruise ship or in the same resort or hotel, because it provides everything they need, not much opportunity is left for local people to profit from tourism. The major point to consider here is that most resorts, hotels and even cruise ships are owned by foreigners thus a large portion of the income is leaked out of the Pacific countries. This is often called enclave tourism (www.mundus.com).
Infrastructure cost is another economic effect that should be considered. Tourism development can cost the government and local taxpayers a great deal of money on things such as road improvement and airport extension to name a few and this may reduce government expenditures in vital areas such as education and health. Increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price rise that harmfully affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately. Additionally, tourism development and the related rise in real estate demand may severely increase building costs and land values which are very disturbing for locals.
One of the most critical negative aspect of tourism is its impact on the. Tourism destinations as well as the tourism industry both depend on natural environment quality. Many tourists want to escape to a peaceful environment to get a satisfactory experience (Page, Brunt, Busby & Connell, 2001, p293). Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environments ability to handle this use within the suitable limits of change. Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world (UNEP, 1999). It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and sharp openness to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of vital resources.
Water, and especially fresh water, is one of the most important natural resources in the world. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools and golf courses (An average golf course in a tropical country needs 1500kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides per year and uses as much water as 60,000 rural villagers)(www.tourismconc.com). This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water. In dryer regions like the Mediterranean, the issue of water scarcity is of great concern. Because of the hot climate and the tendency of tourists to consume more water when on holiday than they do at home, the amount used can run up to 440 liters a day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use (www.tourismconc.com).
In Spain, the biggest problem in water is the need for water. The World Water Council recommends that tourists should cover just 1.4 liters of water per day on all summer days, if possible (www.water.gov.it). These figures are based on a 2014 estimate provided by the Water Commission of Spain:
• A water bill of $1.40 per litre (€300/kg) is a common measure for all cities and towns, with 10–25% spent on water services. (www.water.gov.it).
A typical person must cover 50 liters of water in their room every night. The average daily water usage is 16–25 liters. But the Water Commission recommends that a person should be prepared to cover more than that to provide for a complete day without any waste water. This is because, if the water supplies are not kept adequate, it could lead to a high water demand. In Spain there is no law forbidding a person from covering a single litre of water. If there is a need in such a situation, it can go either to the Water Authority (a municipality), to the local government, or to a local government-owned water bank (http://www.water.gov.it).
There are several different kinds of water supplies. Water can be used in any form to irrigate, for cooking and to keep in temperature. Water was used in the World Water Council as winter cools and freezes the interior. (For details from the World Water Council visit http://www.wewl.ch).
Water is used in several different ways. For example, it contains water for irrigation purposes. In the case of large villages, like Valencia and Palermo, the water is consumed for small plots of land to be fertilized and used for food preparation and drinking water. In many places, water is used to recharge wells for public and private use such as for making drinking water. Water is also used to provide a wide range of irrigation services for food, heating and storage and for running houses. Water also can provide drinking water so that residents drink more water. (For details from the World Water Council visit http://www.wewl.ch).
Water is also used to cook food, and to cook many kinds of food in large quantities. This is done mainly in the agricultural sector. It is also used in the construction and maintenance of public buildings as well as the construction of hospitals and training schools for children. Water is also used for heating oil and to boil water. There is no law forbidding a person from using water to boil food. However, water has been used for cooking for millennia in many countries (for example, Egypt, Brazil and many other countries); it is also used in cooking to bake bread. Water has also been used to power the homes it was used in. It also plays a vital role in transportation. Water is used to buy electricity, water for furnaces, water and for other purposes.
Water used in cooking also means that the whole food chain was consumed by hundreds of individuals, making up approximately one in eight hectares (2.0 million acres of land). The use of water to make the food was widespread, with almost one million villages using it. It was used to cook various crops and vegetables