MOGOMOTSI MAZUNGA

[Document subtitle]

impacts (both positive and negative) of

tourism on destinations and provide
recommendations on how to mitigate
the impacts.
Tourism is one of the most remarkable success stories of modern times. According to World

Tourism Organization data, more than 715 million people were travelling internationally in 2002,

generating more than US$472 billion in earnings. Tourism is a social, cultural, and economic

phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual

environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors

(which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do

with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure (United Nations World Tourism

Organization, 2008).Using this definition, we can see that tourism is not just the movement of

people for a number of purposes (whether business or pleasure), but the overall agglomeration of

activities, services, and involved sectors that make up the unique tourist experience. Tourism can

either be international or domestic. Tourism has an influence on any country, either it’s for a

positive impact or a negative impact. Tourism can either be international or domestic.

Understanding the impacts of tourism is vital to ensuring the sustainable management of the

tourism industry. There are both positive and negative impacts of tourism. This research is

intended to explore impact of tourism on the destination’s Economy, Environment and Social-

Culture.

First of all, Tourism has a massive economic impact on destination areas. The tourism industry

includes hotels, motels, and other types of accommodation; restaurants and other food services;

transportation services; amusements, attractions, and other leisure facilities; gift shops; and a

large number of other entertainment facilities. All the mentioned facilities aid in job

opportunities through direct and indirect employment opportunities in sectors such as retail and
transportation. Transportation is a vital aspect in the tourism industry as without it, how would

individuals be able to visit the destination areas hence there is a business boost in the

transportation sector within the host country. Tourists also influence new economic highs when

spending their earnings on local products and services thus also playing a crucial role of

generating a flow of foreign currency into the host countries economy. In addition, the tourist

sector creates chances for small-scale businesses, which are crucial in rural areas, and generates

additional tax revenues, such as airport and hotel taxes, which can be utilized for housing,

healthcare, and educational institutions of destination areas.(Sinclair 1998) found that tourism

development even played the role of an alternative for economic growth in some developing

countries since conventional industries including manufacturing and agriculture had declined .

On the other hand, building infrastructures, such as roads, visitor centers, and hotels, is essential

for successful tourism. This typically costs the government money, and in turn the government

uses a lot a lot of money on tourist resources whilst dismally failing to adhere to the local

community. When the government fails to improve the welfare of the locals this creates an

imbalance in the society as many continue being poverty stricken whilst the rich get richer. This

situation can cause a great deal of unrest in the community as the poor may take it upon

themselves to rebel against the government through looting and destroying businesses seeing the

country’s economy into further decline.

Furthermore, the high number of tourists flows in particular places has led to the rise of

congestion, issues with carrying capacity, and challenges with environmental sustainability. As it

is, the tourists themselves are often guilty of helping to destroy the surrounding environment.

The more attractive a site, then the more popular it becomes and the more likely it is that it will
be degraded by heavy visitation (Hillery, et al., 2001). This may place a great deal of strain on

the environment, resulting in effects including soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into

the sea, loss of natural habitat, greater pressure on endangered species, and increased

susceptibility to forest fires. Water supplies are frequently strained, and it can make local

communities fight for access to vital resources. On the bright side, it should be kept in mind that

domestic and foreign tourists both also contribute positively to the preservation of the

environment in the tourist destinations. For instance, in the twenty-first century, new types of

tourists, such "clean up" tourism, are addressing these issues and leaving the area in a healthier

condition. According to (Theobald,2005) in Kenya's game reserves, some of the money spent by

tourists in the area, particularly the revenue from entry fees, can be used to preserve and enhance

the region's natural and built heritage, while tourism may also provide a use for historic

structures that would otherwise be vacant. Thus, meaning that tourism do have some positive

impact to the destination’s environment otherwise most of the visited attractions will be

nonexistent. For instance, areas like the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe is one of the most visited

places in Africa hence the government is concerned in its preservation and ensuring that no cost

is spared in ensuring that the attraction remains in the best state.

Additionally, Tourism and travel is a tool that has the ability to aid in cultural exchange between

the guests and the indigenous people which lead to tolerance and reduces prejudice among

people of parallel cultural norms. In that regard it is due to tourism that cultural, historical

traditions and heritage are preserved. This ensures that the indigenous culture does not get

extinct providing an opportunity for the next generation to become a part of it. Tourist

destinations area also gives a sense of pride to the local people as they begin to cherish their
attractions and heritage by this, they develop interest in its conservation. In contrast (Mbaiwa

2004) studied the sociocultural consequences of tourist development in the Okavango Delta,

Botswana, and discovered that in addition to positive effects, tourism development had severe

sociocultural effects on local communities, for instance, there may be overcrowding and traffic,

with population expansion and urbanization, and mass tourism growth is frequently accompanied

by higher crime rates. The presence of several wealthy tourists who frequently carry valuables

like jewelry and cameras makes the area more appealing to thieves and encourages criminal

activity like robbery. Due to high numbers of people issues such as drug selling, and prostitution

also become common leading to a once peaceful area to be susceptible to criminal activities.

Human rights may also be violated by tourism, with villagers being forced off their property to

make room for new hotels or denied access to recreation areas. Traditional customs and values

may be eroded as a result of interaction with visitors. For instance, there was a particular

situation In Botswana which led to Bushmen (Basarwa) being forced out of the central Kalahari

Game reserve to for the same reasons hence when these issues arise the locals tend to lose their

belonging and cultural pride.

There are many different changes in tourism, including variations in the weather, shifts tourists’

views, and transitions to a more contemporary way of life. Therefore, handling the possibility of

changes that occur in this situation is very difficult and requires a variety of good collaborations

between tourism business owners and businesspeople who support tourism including hotel and

restaurant managers, the government, and even the community. This is necessary to prevent the

failure of the tourism industry. Sustainability is a way to maintain tourism existence by also

minimizing negative impacts on the environment and social culture, as well as contributing and
providing opportunities for the local economy. (Utama IGBR, 2017) states that sustainability

means that tourism is designed in a way as to provide assurance for the sustainability of natural

and cultural resources used as attractions, the sustainability of community support and the

sustainability of tourists' desire to visit the tourism destination. The onus is on hosts to take the

initiative to teach and educate guests about proper conduct and the risks involved in deviating

from the suggested standards of conduct, such as carelessly disposing of waste in tourist siting. It

is also important to teach children and young people to respect nature, through participatory

activities so that they grow into becoming responsible members of the society (Richards and

Hall, 2000) states that good models of community participation and planning in tourism are

increasingly available and in particular the notion of destination ‘visioning ‘is growing in

acceptance as a means of communities taking control of their tourism futures

In conclusion Travel and tourism have become the world's largest and fastest growing industry,

with growth increasing steadily year on year. In 2012, the number of international travelers

reached 1 billion, and tourism is increasingly being developed as part of the national

development strategy as a powerful engine of inclusive development that creates economic

growth and local community employment and prosperity. However, both good and negative

consequences of tourism are felt in the destination nation or region. Planning and creating

policies with care can greatly reduce or even eliminate harmful impacts. A country's economic,

social, cultural, and environmental well-being may all be improved through tourism. As (Ritchie

and Crouch 2003) note, it is the enhanced welfare of the local community that is the key

yardstick of success for a competitive destination.

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