The importance of Tourism

The importance of Tourism

In this article I will explain the importance of tourism industry and why it is so important on a global scale. When many people think about the tourism industry they visualise only the front- line workers- the Holiday Representative, the Waiter, the Diving Instructor. But in reality, the tourism industry stretches much, much further than this. The tourism industry is closely interconnected with a number of global industries and sectors ranging from trade to ecological conservation.

Tourism is important for many reasons, such as:

Economic Gains

Brings in wealth, exposure, growth, and employment to name a few. The biggest advantage of tourism is the influx of money into a country’s economy. This is especially important in countries whose economy is new or weaker than others.

If sustainable tourism is demonstrated, money will be directed to areas that will benefit the local community most.

Foreign exchange earnings

The importance of tourism is demonstrated through foreign exchange earnings. Tourism expenditures generate income to the host economy. The money that the country makes from tourism can then be reinvested in the economy. How a destination manages their finances differs around the world; some destinations may spend this money on growing their tourism industry further, some may spend this money on public services such as education or healthcare and some destinations suffer extreme corruption so nobody really knows where the money ends up!

Employment Creation

The rapid expansion of international tourism has led to significant employment creation. From hotel managers to theme park operatives to cleaners, tourism creates many employment opportunities. Tourism supports some 7% of the world’s workers. There are two types of employment in the tourism industry: direct and indirect.

Direct employment includes jobs that are immediately associated with the tourism industry. This might include hotel staff, restaurant staff or taxi drivers, to name a few.

Indirect employment includes jobs which are not technically based in the tourism industry, but are related to the tourism industry. It is because of these indirect relationships, that it is very difficult to accurately measure the precise economic value of tourism, and some suggest that the actual economic benefits of tourism may be as high as double that of the recorded figures!

Social gains

The importance of tourism is not only recognised through economic factors, but there are also many positive social impacts of tourism that play an important part. Below I will outline some of the social gains from tourism.

Preserving Local Culture

It is the local culture that the tourists are often coming to visit and this is another way to demonstrate the importance of tourism. Tourists visit Beijing to learn more about the Chinese Dynasties. Tourists visit Thailand to taste authentic Thai food. Tourists travel to South Africa to learn about the rich culture, to mention a few...Many destinations will make a conserved effort to preserve and protect the local culture. This often contributes to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources, the protection of local heritage, and a renaissance of indigenous cultures, cultural arts and crafts.

Improvement of Infrastructure

The tourism industry requires many facilities/ infrastructure to meet the needs of the tourist. This often means that many developments in an area as a result of tourism will be available for use by the locals also. Local people often gained new roads, new sewage systems, new playgrounds, bus services etc as a result of tourism. This can provide a great boost to their quality of life.

Environmental gains

Whilst most media coverage involving tourism and the environment tends to be negative, there are some positives that can come from it: demonstrating the importance of tourism once again.

Protecting nature

Some people think that tourism is what kills nature. And while this could so easily be true, it is important to note that the tourism industry is and always has been a big voice when it comes to conservation and the protection of animals and nature. Tourism organisations and travel operators often run (and donate to) fundraisers. There are a lot of ways in which tourism actually helps the environment, rather than hindering it!

Political gains

Lastly, there is something to be said for the political gains that can be achieved through tourism. The tourism industry can yield promising opportunities for international collaborations, partnerships and agreements, for example within the UN. This can have positive political impacts on the host country as well as the countries who choose to work with them.

In Conclusion, Tourism is a remarkably important industry. As we can see, the tourism industry does not stand alone- it is closely interrelated with many other parts of society. Not only do entire countries often rely on the importance of tourism, but so do individual members of host communities and tourists