Tourism Impact and Balancing

environment Conservation, Cultural Preservation,

and Economic Sustainability

Name
 Since the beginning, Tourism was nothing but one of the most interesting fields that is
always being developed. Even that tourism can boost the revenue of the economy, create
thousands of jobs, extend the infrastructure of a country, and allow cultural exchange
between foreigners and citizens. But there is an ongoing debate regarding the potential
negative impacts of tourism on local environments, cultures, and economies. This assignment
aims to evaluate the statement, "Tourism should be banned in order to protect local
environments, cultures, and economies," by examining the extent to which tourism affects
these three areas.

If we take a look back to the history. “In 1950, total worldwide international tourist
arrivals amounted to just over 25 million; by the start of the new millennium, that figure had
risen to more than 687 million and since then international tourism has continued its
inexorable growth. In 2007, over 903 million international arrivals were recorded” (UTWTO,
2008b, as cited in (Sharpley R, 2009)). This growth is a proof of tourism’s continues
development mentioned before and is a sign which shows how important it is to study and
minimize the negative effect of these tourism activities.

Tourism effect on local environment can be negative or positive, it depends if some

conservative policies is applied. On one hand, it can contribute to environmental degradation
through increased carbon emissions, waste generation, and overconsumption of natural
resources (Buckley, 2012, p. 532). Most of the times, land degradation in addition to other
environmental effects is not due to tourism activities itself or at least is not limited to.
Actually, it is widely affected of the number of lands are being used and converted to create;
transportation networks and infrastructure (such as airports), accommodation, gathering and
meeting centers, and attractions such as golf courses and theme parks. Not to forget
mentioning the Tourism Urbanization which is increasingly consuming landscapes to be built
specifically for tourism and leisure (Hall, 2009, p. 198).

On the other hand, even with all the negative effects that may not be mentioned in this
article. Some groups still believe that tourism may have positive effects to the environment if
it was controlled with a preservative polices and rules. Even some stakeholders or even
governments describe tourism as a great opportunity that can be beneficial for environment, if
it’s money was invested to achieve “Ecotourism” models that allow nature tourism to virgin

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nature areas while applying environmental care processes to minimize the negative effects
(Duffy, 2002, p. 2).

The cultural impact of tourism is complex. On one side, cultural values may be
compromised for commercial gain and as a product for visitor consumption (Mckercher,
2002, p. 12). Also, tourists may engage in disrespectful behaviors or cultural appropriation
that may reduce the value of local cultures. However, when managed responsibly, tourism
can also provide opportunities for cultural exchange, promoting, understanding and
appreciation of diverse cultures. It can support cultural preservation efforts, generate income
for local artisans, and empower communities to showcase their traditions in an authentic and
respectful manner (Weaver, 2014). With respect to tourism destination managers, the use of
technology can create increased competitiveness and be a source of competitive advantage
and contribute to more suitable, meaningful, memorable, and often transformative
experiences for each individual consumer (Ferrer-Rosell, 2023).

I think we need to raise the awareness about good tourism actions and behaviors, both for
local citizens and for the visitors, although to create defined rules and policies that can
preserve culture and control tourism agencies to prevent them from missing with local culture
and from distort the image of heritage. Also, we can utilize today’s technology and modern
marketing tools to focus on eco-tourism and boost cultural tourism which reflects the true
image of heritage and allow good type of cultural exchange that is needed for cultures to
develop.

Tourism plays a significant role in shaping local economies, and it is important to

understand the impacts it can have. Tourism can stimulate economic growth by creating
employment opportunities, generating income for local businesses, and boosting
infrastructure development (Mowforth M., 2015). This can help finding extra income from
diverse sources since tourists spend money on a wide range of services such as hotels,
amusement parks, transportation, food, and medical services. This way, tourism yields an
additional income supporting country’s economy. However, an overreliance on tourism can
create economic vulnerability, as destinations become susceptible to fluctuations in visitor
numbers, economic crises, or natural disasters (Hall, 2009). It is also important to consider
potential leakages, where a significant portion of tourist spending goes to international
corporations rather than benefiting the local community. Sustainable tourism practices and

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community involvement are essential for maximizing the positive economic impacts and
ensuring a fair distribution of benefits (UNWTO, 2020).

According to (UNWTO, 2008b), international tourism receipts is achieving large

continues growth. since 1950, total international tourist receipts alone were increased from
just US$2.1 billion to reach US$473 billion By 2000 and to reach US$856 billion by 2007.
Noting the high interest in tourism from large agencies and government that was mention
before gives us a good indication that tourism contribution to economies will continually
grow and will experience huge investments specially for some countries that has a limited
diversity of income sources. It (The World Tourism Organization - WTO) also published that
some destinations such as Thailand, Mexico, and Egypt have successfully utilized tourism as
a catalyst for wider economic and social development (Sharpley R, 2009).

Before I start writing my conclusion about the points discussed before, and since I am an
engineer who works in today’s information technology field. I think it is worth mentioning
the big evolution of technology such as; smart mobile devices, social media, digital
marketing, location and maps services, mobile Applications and a lot of new services that
became available handy in a very compact size device. This and the evolution of new cheap
flights services, combined with credit cards, that allowed us to book accommodations far
away without the need for service brokers. which created a new opportunity and encouraged
solo travelers, groups, and families to plan their trips and to travel around the world saving 3rd
parties commissions and fees. Also transformed the way people plan, experience, and engage
with travel. Online booking platforms and travel websites enabled travelers to compare
prices, read reviews, and make reservations conveniently. All of this has boosted the
investment in local and international tourism in a huge way. And even created a new
technology related work opportunities such as Bloggers and Vloggers who are creating and
sharing content about their travel experience and deferent cultures.

In conclusion, we have suspected tourism impact and its effect on local environments,
cultures, and economies. We were able to define some positive and negative impact for each

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of the three topics discussed in this article. Since some of these negative impacts can be
prevented, or at least can be minimized to a controllable point of which can allow the
utilization of positive impacts for both the economy and culture without damaging the
environment. I think a complete ban may not be the most effective solution. Instead, a
balanced and sustainable approach is necessary. Responsible tourism practices, such as
promoting sustainable development, minimizing environmental footprints, respecting local
cultures, and ensuring equitable economic distribution, can help mitigate the negative impacts
while allow the benefits of tourism. It is through collaborative efforts between governments,
communities, and tourists themselves that we can strive for a more sustainable and mutually
beneficial tourism industry.

I encourage that more feature researches should be launched regarding the impact of
tourism which should focus on finding the tools that can regulate between positive and
negative impact in order to benefit from tourism since it has become one of the world’s most
competitive fields in today’s world. I think, Virtual tours could be one of the feature tools that
may be used to enable people enjoy travel experience to places of interests such as virgin
nature or historical sights without physically travelling, this would stop and prevent most of
the environmental degradation.

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References
 Buckley, R., 2012. Sustainable Tourism: Research and Reality. Annals of Tourism
Research, 39(2), 528-546. s.l.:s.n.
 Duffy, R., 2002. A Trip Too Far : Ecotourism, Politics and Exploitation. s.l.:s.n.
 Ferrer-Rosell, B. M. D. B., 2023. Information and Communication Technologies in
Tourism 2023: Proceedings of the ENTER 2023 ETourism Conference. s.l.:s.n.
 Hall, C. &. L. A., 2009. Understanding and Managing Tourism Impacts: An
Integrated Approch. London: Taylor & Francis Group.
 Mckercher, B. &. d. C., 2002. Cultural Tourism : The Partnership Between Tourism
and Cultural Heritage Management. Florence: Taylor & Francis Group.
 Mowforth M., M. I., 2015. Tourism and Sustainability: Development, Globalisation
and New Tourism in the Third World. 4 ed. Routledge: s.n.
 Sharpley R, &. R. S., 2009. Tourism Development and the Environment: Beyond
Sustainability?. London: Taylor & Francis.
 UNWTO, 2008b. Tourism Highlights, s.l.: World Tourism Organization .
 UNWTO, 2020. Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, s.l.: World Tourism
Organization.
 Weaver, D. L. L. J., 2014. Tourism Management. 5 ed. s.l.:John Wiley & Sons.