impacts of tourism: socio-cultural impacts

Question 1

+ve

preservation of local customs & heritage

Answer 1

• revenue generated from tourism can fund restoration and preservation of local heritage
• boosts preservation of cultural & historical traditions –> allow protection of local heritage & renaissance of indigenous cultures, cultural arts and crafts
• entry fees to Angkor Wat complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia used directly to fund conservation efforts

Question 2

-ve

dilution of local customs & culture

Answer 2

• religious rituals, traditional rites, and festivals commercialised to meet tourists’ expectations
• e.g. hefty fee to enter village of Kayan Lahwi, treats women like exhibits they paid for
• take their pictures w/o consent

Question 3

-ve

increased crime

Answer 3

• high crime levels @ popular tourist sites, tourists carry valuables –> vulnerable to muggings
• e.g. Louvre, Paris, children work in groups –> pickpocket tourists to the extent of a closure of the museum in April 2013