UNIT-3

IMPACT  OF TOURISM AND MAINTAINING SUSTAINABILITY

 

IMPACTS OF TOURISM

Economic Impact of Tourism:

Positive Impact-

    • Employment generator
    • Increase tax revenue
    • Foreign exchange earner
    • Rural development promoter
    • Improved infrastructure
    • Increase in gross domestic products
    • Multiplier effect

Negative Impact-

    • Over-dependency: It may be that, as tastes and fashions change, or due to any of a range of external pressures, the number of tourists visiting a particular destination may decrease very suddenly, leading to a loss of employment and businesses closing.
    • Leakage- it refers to the process through which tourism receipts are withdrawn or leave the destination’s country. this happens when money is spent on buying goods and services from another economy.

Social Impact of Tourism:

Positive Impact-

    • Develops entrepreneurship
    • Provides jobs
    • Increase income
    • Improve quality of life
    • Preserves heritage
    • Revive art and craft
    • Helps national and international integration develops facilities and infrastructure
    • Revives vernacular languages

Negative Impact-

    • Rural urban migration
    • Disruption of lifestyle
    • Narcotics and drug abuse
    • Decreased use of local language
    • Health issues like HIV, AIDS, flu and virus
    • Alcoholism
    • Crime- pick- pocketing, mugging, rape, murder
    • Money laundering
    • Disrespect to local customs

Cultural Impact of Tourism:

Positive Impact-

    • Helps in preservation of culture
    • Rejuvenation of art forms folk dance and music retain authenticity

Negative Impact-

    • Social norms and customs are affected
    • Cultural arrogance
    • Dilution of culture

Political Impact of Tourism:

Positive Impact-

    • For tourists, political stability is the most important thing. Any tourist destination that is safe and secure attracts a lot of visitors
    • The government’s concern is law and order. When properly maintained it helps in the inflow of the tourists

Negative Impact-

    • Leads to Terrorism

Environmental Impact of Tourism:

Positive Impact:

    • Some tourist destinations like parks, wildlife and bird sanctuaries helps in maintaining the ecological balance
    • Historical sites are preserved and restored
    • Endangered species protected
    • Forest is protected
    • Create awareness about environment

Negative Impact:

    • Environmental pollution
    • Depletion of natural resources
    • Land erosion
    • Loss of natural resources
    • Traffic congestion
    • Garbage trails

TOURISM ORGANIZATION

Tourism Organizations is an organization that cater to the needs of tourism industry and people involved in travel and tourism. It acts as a platform for the development, management and marketing of tourism services and plays an important role to bring together various businesses involved in the industry.

International Tourism Organization:

    • United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO)
    • Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
    • International Air Transport Association (IATA)
    • International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
    • The American Society of Travel Agent (ASTA)
    • Universal Federation of Travel Agent Association (UFTAA)

Domestic Tourism Organization:

    • Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO)
    • Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI)
    • Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI)
    • Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI)
    • Tourism Finance Corporation of India (TFCI)
    • India Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
    • Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI)
    • Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH)

EMERGING TRENDS OF TOURISM (ALTERNATIVE TOURISM)

Alternative tourists are different from the regular tourist. Alternative tourism establishes a cordial rapport between visitors and the local hosts. These tourists normally avoid the services that are used by the tourists such as accommodation, transport and other services. They prefer to use and share the services used of the local people. Their main motive is to experience and get an insight into their way of living. It is regarded as a key to sustainable development. While mass tourism can have a negative impact on a destination, alternative tourism promotes a balanced growth form, more in line with local environmental and sociocultural concerns.

    • SPECIAL INTEREST TOURISM
    • ECOTOURISM
    • RURAL TOURISM
    • ETHNIC TOURISM
    • SENIOR CITIZEN TOURISM
    • WILDLIFE TOURISM
    • SPACE TOURISM
    • SPECIAL INTEREST TOURISM: special interest tourism can be defined as people travelling to a particular destination with the purpose of fulfilling a particular interest, which can be pursued only at that destination. Product ranges from historical, culinary, archaeological, and other interest such as golf, fishing, and underwater adventure e.g. Tal Mahal, Red Fort, Special interest tourism in India can include visiting Mughal architecture, gardens of India, textile centers of India, gourmet tours, tribal areas, safari, car racing, common wealth games, world cup etc.
    • ECOTOURISM: it is often defined as sustainable nature-based tourism. Ecotourism is usually used to describe tourism activities which are conducted in harmony with nature. This tourism fosters environmental principals with an emphasis on visiting and observing natural areas, it controls the impact of tourism on the environment.

“Ecotourism can be defined as purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the culture and natural history of the environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing economic opportunities that make the conservation of natural resources financially beneficial to the local citizens.” Large movement of people (carrying capacity) and unplanned tourism destroy forests, consume firewood, create pollution and destroy flora and fauna diversity.  It upset wildlife, ecosystem and the local people life style. Ecotourism reduces all these ill effects of tourism.

 

    • RURALTOURISM: tourists nowadays are shifting their interest of travel to new destinations to explore and experience the destination and have first-hand knowledge of the local people, cuisine and actual way of living. Of late rural tourism has gained importance in India through its ‘INCREDIBLE India’ promotional campaign.  In India states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, M.P., U.P., etc. have heritage hotels, forts, havelis and palaces which are converted into hotels, and are giving the true taste of that state to the tourist.
    • ETHNIC TOURISM: ethnic tourism involves travel for the purpose of observing the cultural expression of lifestyle and customs of the indigenous and exotic people. This type of tourism focuses directly on the local people. The tourist visits the local homes, observe and participate in their traditional rituals, ceremonies, dances, festivals, etc.
    • SENIOR CITIZEN TOURISM: This is a new emerging trend in tourism meant for the senior citizens or old people. Tours packages are specially designed for the elderly people. This type of tourism is common in the west.
    • WILDLIFE TOURISM: wildlife is a term used to refer to both the floral and faunal components of a natural environment. Enthusiast’s young and natural lovers, adventure seekers are exploring this new area of tourism. This is comparative new form of tourism, becoming popular in last one decade. Wildlife tourism is also considering important elements in wildlife protection. Luxury safaris, wildlife backpacking, zoos, aquaria, and safari parks all form part of wildlife tourism industry.
    • SPACE TOURISM: space tourism is the term broadly applied to the concept of paying customer travelling beyond the earth’s atmosphere. New and not so popular type of tourism.