ADVANTAGES (depending upon implementation some of these can turn into disadvantages)
-employment (1 emp/1000 tourist) (labor intensive, few administrative positions, little upward mobility)
-infrastructure development (roads, water, electricity, telecom and cybercom, but not necessarily local priorities)
-cultural preservation (economic incentives to preserve food, fashion, festivals and physical history, but these tend to be superficial elements of a culture)
-environmental protection (econ incentives to preserve nature, wildlife and urban cleanliness)
-foreign exchange (generates resources to import food, pharmaceuticals, technology, consumer goods)
DISADVANTAGES (depending upon implementation some of these can turn into advantages)
-cultural destruction, (modernization (world mono-culture), freezes culture as performers, loss: language, religion, rituals, material culture)
-primary products (sun, sand, surf, safari, suds, ski, sex) (little value added, neo-colonialism)
-environmental destruction (game drives, resorts: golf, ski, beach, desert, world as play ground, SUV)
-marginal employment (low skill, low wage, menial services, prostitution, drug trade, gambling, hustlers)
-low benefits (no job security, no health care, no organizing, no work safety rules or enviro standards)
-outside hiring (skilled middle and senior management recruited out of the area and transferred in)
-concentration employment (walled resort enclaves)
-seasonal employment
-outside decision making (decisions made outside of the area, corporate dollars corrupt government)
-unrealistic expectations (divert young people from school and brighter futures.)
-anti-democratic collusion (industry support of repressive governments)
-land controlled by the elite (people relocated, agriculture eliminated, prohibited from N.P.)
-negative lifestyle's (STD's, substance abuse, begging, hustling)
-diverted and concentrated development (airport, roads, water, electricity to tourist destinations, development not accessible to locals),
-little forex stays in country (airplanes, vehicles, booze, hot air balloons, generally have foreign owners),
-package programs
-cruises (eat and sleep on board)
-unstable market (fickle, affected by local and world events, generally highly elastic)
-health tourism (traveling to get medical procedure at lower cost) has it own set of unique challenges, which include: Determining the credential, skills and quality of the facility and personnel.
-Language communication challenges on topics requiring a lot of details, sometimes even when both parties seemingly speak the same language. Different cultural issues and expectations around health care and the body. Post-treatment complications, after the "tourist"
Answered By: World Traveller - 3/17/2008 |