TOURISM

THE ACT OF TRAVEL FOR LEISURE OR BUSINESS

WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC

With various factors such as affordable transport (e.g. budget airlines), increasing disposable income due to

rapid economic growth and more leisure time, tourism has been steadily rising. With the increasing number of

tourists, the impacts of tourism, both good and bad, are becoming more relevant in the world. Thus, I wish to

explore how tourism can affect various parties and how tourism is relevant in Singapore.

THE IMPACTS OF TOURISM

Greater employment opportunities Seasonal unemployment

- Tourism creates jobs directly (e.g. tour guides,
- When the tourism industry is temporarily
hotel staff) and indirectly (e.g. taxi drivers, shop
unavailable (due to climatic conditions), people who
work in the tourism industry have to find other
owners).

- In fact, in 2011, The World Tourism Organisation

sources of income.
(UNWTO) estimated that the tourism industry employed e.g. Ski resorts in Sapporo, Japan receive tourists mainly
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>235 million people worldwide. from Dec to Feb. Thus, during the rest of the year, workers

in ski resorts may have to find other jobs due to lack of

tourists.

Infrastructure development Underuse of facilities

- Infrastructure built to enhance tourism can help - Tourism facilities built specifically for certain events may

locals too. In terms of transportation networks such be underused and become run-down after the event. This
is as the drastic drop in tourists results in lack of funds to
as roads and subways, when they are built to allow
maintain these facilities.
tourists to access local attractions, locals can

utilise these networks to travel more easily and

A pool in the
have better access to various places.
Olympic village
e.g. Beijing, China, expanded its rail system for the
(now polluted)
2008 Summer Olympic Games. Today, it continues
used for the
to serve locals and tourists.
2004 Olympics

in Athens,

Greece.

South Gate of

Forest Park

Station, Beijing,

China. It was Scan this QR code to check out

more photos of venues that were

built for the 2008
once used for the Olympic games.
Olympic Games.

Conservation of Natural environments Vandalism

-Revenue from entrance fees to national parks and - Tourists attractions such as historical sites may be

diving centres can be used to protect and vandalised by visitors or developers. For example,

conserve the environment.

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the Great Wall of China now has a designated

e.g. In Kenya, revenue brought about by wildlife graffiti zone due to visitors' continued vandalism of

tourism helps to preserve the animals and habitats. the site despite the signs that forbid them to.

Destruction of habitats
- Popular tourist sites may be overwhelmed with
tourists during busy times of the year. This results in

the destruction of habitats and wildlife as guests

may trample on plants, collect eggs and feathers or

birds as souvenirs and cause noise pollution, scaring

animals away.

e.g. Egypt's Red Sea coast is a major diving and

snorkelling destination. However, the habitats of coral

Tourists view wildlife at a Kenyan reserve. reefs and sea life have been damaged due to swimmers

collecting shells or corals as souvenirs.

Preservation of local heritage Dilution of culture and local

sites customs
- Tourism can result in the identity, culture and
-Revenue from tourism can help to fund the
values of a place to be lost. This is as construction
maintenance and restoration of cultural heritage.
for tourism, such as hotels, may cause locals to
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e.g. entry fees to the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

have to relocate their original activities to other
can be used to help fund conservation efforts.
places, causing the identity of the place to be
- The restored sites can also help to enhance the
lost.
locals' sense of history by building a sense of
- Local cultural practices may also be modified
belonging to their community.
to fit tourists' demands and expectations, resulting

in the loss of culture due to it being

commercialised instead.

Angkor Wat, where the over-construction of new

hotels is causing the temples to sink.

(Continued below)
HOW THE IMPACTS OF TOURISM ARE MANAGED
By encouraging sustainable tourism
- Sustainable tourism is tourism that does not harm the environment, society and culture. It should also

address the needs of tourists, the industry and host community.

- Sustainable tourism can be enforced through laws and regulations, with the support of locals,
organisations or other stakeholders.

- An example of an organisation which helps to promote sustainable tourism would be The United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It provides funds for conservation activities

and help for sites in danger. An example of a UNESCO World Heritage Site would be the Great Barrier Reef

in Australia.

Having Measures to manage tension between tourists & locals/environment

- Many countries have measures in place to minimise the

negative impacts brought about by tourism to locals or the

surrounding environment. Some examples of possible measures

include:

Limiting the number of visitors at an attraction to reduce

degradation and congestion(e.g. In Machu Picchu, Peru

where the weight of the many tourists have caused damage

to the land.)

Holding discussions with locals to find out their needs and

concerns

Withholding permission to proceed with tourism-related

Many tourists at Machu Picchu projects that could harm the environment.

WHAT INDIVIDUALS CAN DO TO REDUCE NEGATIVE IMPACTS

OF TOURISM

Support destinations that promote sustainable tourism

ease of access to information now compared to

- With the rise of the internet, there is a much greater

the past. This means that individuals are able to research thoroughly about various destinations and find

up-to-date information on these places easily. Thus, individuals should take time to consider which

destinations are favourable in terms of enforcing sustainable tourism and choose to support these

holiday destinations instead of those that do not.

Individuals can choose to go to places that focus on ecotourism

(responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment

and improves the well-being of locals) such as to Waitomo Caves,

New Zealand where the local Maori receive a portion of the entrance

fees and tours are stopped if carbon dioxide levels in the cave

become too high.

Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

Support local-owned stores and eateries

- Instead of heading to the first McDonald's or any worldwide fast food chain you see, try out some local

restaurants instead. This will help to reduce leakage and increase income opportunities for the locals there,

with the bonus of you being able to experience the authentic taste of the food of the country you are visiting.

Choose the smaller-carbon footprint option

- When possible, try to take the route or mode of transport that will produce the least or lesser amount of

greenhouse gases. For example, instead of taking a plane from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, try

taking a shuttle bus instead. When possible, try taking public transport instead of a taxi. Not only will this

result in lesser greenhouse gas emissions from your travels, it will also allow you to save more money.

PERSONAL INSIGHTS
Personally, I feel that tourism is especially important in Singapore due to how it allows Singapore to grow

economically thanks to the many jobs it creates such as through tour guides or the revenue generated from

tourism, despite Singapore's limited resources (e.g. land). In addition, it provides an avenue for Singaporeans to

grow socially through meeting up with friends or introducing friends from overseas to Singapore's various

attractions. Furthermore, domestic (within Singapore) and international travel allow for Singaporeans to explore

the world, increasing awareness and knowledge of culture and heritage of their homeland and other places,

while giving them a chance to destress from their hectic lives.

However, while we are reaping the benefits of tourism, we need to keep in mind and take action to reduce the

negative impacts of tourism such as increased congestion, littering and the dilution of local culture and heritage.

For example. in Singapore, in order to help preserve the culture of Chinatown, Singapore Tourism Board (STB)

came up with the Chinatown Experience Guide Plan, which resulted in the creation of the Chinatown Heritage

Centre. This makes it a conservation site, helping to conserve the current environment, preserving the authentic

heritage. Furthermore, while we are travelling overseas or nationally, we should keep in mind our respect for the

environment and various cultures. Make sure you do not litter and respect local customs. For example, in Bali,

avoid public displays of affection as they are objected to there.

Now, with the current Covid-19 pandemic, international tourism has been more or less halted. This means that

more emphasis needs to be placed on domestic travel, in order to reduce the brunt of the blow of the reduced

number of incoming tourists and thus incoming revenue. We can help to support Singapore's domestic tourism

sector by going to various local attractions (e.g. Universal Studios Singapore) or encouraging others to do so.

(You can use the SingapoRediscover vouchers to enjoy savings on your visit to local attractions.)