3.4 Tourism Flashcards
Tourist
A person who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure.
Tourism
The commercial organization and operation of holidays and visits to places of interest.
–> One of the fastest growing industries
Reasons behind increased tourism
- People have more disposable income + vacation days
- Better marketing for tourism
- Transport = cheaper + quicker.
- Larger choice for tourists
Types of tourism
Beach holidays
Outdoor adventure (eg. skiing/hiking)
Cultural/Historic (eg. museums, shopping etc.)
Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Sustainable tourism provides tourism opportunities for visitors and jobs for locals while protecting the
environment and culture from damaging change.
This means that in the future, people will continue to enjoy
and benefit from them.
Types of tourism attraction
Human attraction
Physical attractions
Physical attractions - Examples
- Physical landscape, eg. beaches, mountains, rivers, lakes etc.
- Ecosystem, eg. forests, grasslands, coral reefs etc.
- Weather and Climate, eg. sunny, snowy
Human attractions - Examples
- art galleries
- architecture
- cultural monuments
- museums
- local traditions
- food and drink
- music and drama
- important historical or political sites
Advantages of tourism
- Brings investment into area (important for LEDCs)
- Provides employment for local people.
- Money generated through tax –> improving the infrastructure of the area –> allow increase in tourism (also benefit locals)
- Income from tourism can help conserve the natural environment.
- Other industries benefit from overseas investment
- Tourism helps preserve local cultures + communities eg. Maori’s in NZ
- Visitors get an insight in local customs/ traidition + see landscapes/ wildlife.
Disadvantages of tourism
- Most investment in LEDCs for tourism doesn’t actually benefit local area –> goes to TNCs as profit
- Jobs for locals = badly paid + bad working conditions
- Large number of tourists = detrimental for local environment eg. littering, pollution, footpath erosion etc.
- Businesses set up may bankrupt local businesses.
- Local cultures could be devalued by tourism –> almost become a freak show –> no respect.
- House prises rise bc of investment in holiday homes –> too expensive for locals.
- Social services/ development of local area = sidelined to focus on tourism.
Tourism in Kenya - Case Study (conservation + management)
- Serengeti is popular for safari holidays eg. seeing Zebras + wildebeest.
- It is a national park in the south west of Kenya inhabited by the Maasai tribe.
Positive impacts of tourism in Kenya (case study)
Conservation - Higher incentive to protect environmetn + set up national parks protecting wildlife.
Employment - Generated jobs
Infrastructure built
Investment - Profits from tourism invested in social services
Educational for tourists + get to see beautiful landscapes
Insight into Maasai culture –> teaching of traditional crafts
Disadvantages of tourism - Kenya (Case Study)
Environmental damage - Erosion bc of jeeps, animals disturbed by tourists –> changes in feeding/mating patterns, littering, removal of vegetation for roads –> soil erosion.
Inequality - Tourism profits often go to MEDCs / wealthy CEOs
Traditional Maasai life disrupted by setting up Serengeti national parks –> Farming methods no longer feasible.
Zooification of Maasai culture.
Water cycle damage - Diverting water for tourist can exploit local water reserves –> local people/ animals thirsty + pollution in water.
Diruptive tourist attraction eg. bars/ discos.
How ecotourism is set up
- Ensuring no exploitation of natural environment/ local communities
- Consulting local communitie s on planned developments
- Making sure infrastructure improvements also benefit locals.
Guidelines for ecotourists
- Protect the environment, eg. keep to footpaths, don’t leave litter or start fires.
- Don’t interfere with wildlife, eg. don’t scare or feed the animals.
- Protect resources - don’t take too many showers or use air conditioning.
- Support local communities - stay in locally owned accommodation and buy produce from local people.
- Eat local food and drink - avoid products that have been imported from MEDCs.
- Respect local customs and traditions, eg. some communities are offended when tourists wear inappropriate
clothes in religious places
