Tourism Can Be a Double-Edged Sword for a Country. Discuss
Tourism refers to the activities of tourists, people who visit places for pleasure, and the industry that caters to their needs. It can be a double-edged sword for a country to a certain extent due to its advantages as well as its disadvantages. The advantages are economic, cultural and environmental benefits while the disadvantage will be environmental degradation.
Firstly, tourism is beneficial as it contributes to a country’s revenue. For example, in Singapore, the tourism industry generated about $11 billion annually. When tourists visit a country, they usually spend on food, accommodation, entertainment, sight-seeing and shopping at famous districts like Little India and malls like Vivocity, Harbourfront and Ion Orchard which are popular megamalls in Singapore. Tourist spending enables food, hotel, leisure, retail and transport industries to make profits. The Singapore government, in this case, will receive revenue through taxes paid by these industries. If tourist expenditure increases, the destination country will generate more revenue. Ultimately, the citizens will benefit from the healthy, growing economy, making tourism a benefit for a country like Singapore.
Secondly, tourism benefits local culture as tourists admire a culture that is rare in their own country. This includes interaction between tourists and locals resulting in exchange of values and preservations of local customs and heritage. Interaction promotes understanding, appreciation and mutual respect for each other’s traditions and cultures. Mutual respect promotes preservation of local customs and heritage. This includes American tourists visiting Singapore to have a trip at cultural museums like Asian Civilisations Museum and see Hindu Festivals like Deepavali (row of lights) and Ratha Yatra (Chariot Journey) which are celebrated in India and Indian dominated areas like Little India, Singapore. The beautiful lighting and dancing for these festivals attract tourists to take photos to bring
Firstly, tourism is beneficial as it contributes to a country’s revenue. For example, in Singapore, the tourism industry generated about $11 billion annually. When tourists visit a country, they usually spend on food, accommodation, entertainment, sight-seeing and shopping at famous districts like Little India and malls like Vivocity, Harbourfront and Ion Orchard which are popular megamalls in Singapore. Tourist spending enables food, hotel, leisure, retail and transport industries to make profits. The Singapore government, in this case, will receive revenue through taxes paid by these industries. If tourist expenditure increases, the destination country will generate more revenue. Ultimately, the citizens will benefit from the healthy, growing economy, making tourism a benefit for a country like Singapore.
Secondly, tourism benefits local culture as tourists admire a culture that is rare in their own country. This includes interaction between tourists and locals resulting in exchange of values and preservations of local customs and heritage. Interaction promotes understanding, appreciation and mutual respect for each other’s traditions and cultures. Mutual respect promotes preservation of local customs and heritage. This includes American tourists visiting Singapore to have a trip at cultural museums like Asian Civilisations Museum and see Hindu Festivals like Deepavali (row of lights) and Ratha Yatra (Chariot Journey) which are celebrated in India and Indian dominated areas like Little India, Singapore. The beautiful lighting and dancing for these festivals attract tourists to take photos to bring