It is believed that there were 842 million tourist arrivals in 2006. No wonder tourism has become such a profitable business. Nevertheless, some people have come to pinpoint some negative aspects of the tourist industry.
In 1994 the United Nations classified tourism into three forms: domestic, inbound, and outbound. Domestic involves residents traveling within their own country, inbound invloves non-residents traveling within the given country, and outbound involves residents traveling in another country. By combining the three basic forms of tourism, the UN derived different categories of tourism: internal tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism; national tourism, which comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism; and international tourism, which consists of inbound tourism and outbound tourism.
France, particularly because of the city of Paris, is believed to be the most visited country. In fact, the Eiffel Tower is the fourth most visited monument in the world.
- The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Other European countries that are often visited by tourists are Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Greece and Poland. As we all know, Europe is the smallest continent in the world but it is the source of today's civilization. Therefore, it is quite common to find European places of interest.
- Zaragoza, Spain
- The Houses of Parliament
- An autumn view of part of the Alps, Switzerland
- Hamburg, Germany
- Parthenon on Acropolis in Athens, Greece
- Krakow, Poland, One of Europe's major tourist destinations, and UNESCO World Heritage Site
Other places in the world visited by tourists are the United States, Australia, and some countries in South America like Argentina and Brazil.
- Disneyland, California, USA
- Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- The Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Bariloche, Argentina
- Iguazú Falls, Argentina / Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
For travelers tourism is usually an exciting experience. It is a real opportunity for him or her to learn about a different culture. For instance, someone who thoroughly visits Greece before studying about it in History will understand what he or she studies much better than someone else who does not.
Business people obviously benefit a great deal from foreign travelers. Hotels, especially the ones located in city centers, dramatically increase their income. Stores, particularly the ones that carry souvenirs, often experience a sharp upturn in their sales. Businesses that provide transportation, such as cruise ships and taxis, are also in a better shape when there are more tourists, as they are usually the ones who mostly use them.
As a result, the governments of the countries visited by tourists should obtain a monetary benefit from tourism as well: the consumption of goods and services by tourists generates a larger amount of income, which is to be taxed at a higher bracket, and unemployment rates frequently decrease in times when the economy is prosperous. What is more, there is an assumption that tourism is vital in some countries, as they are likely unable to survive without it.
Considering the advantage of having a more powerful economy, inhabitants of countries that are constantly visited by tourists are to rejoice. Someone from that country who is not financially capable of spending on tours abroad should feel that he or she has the opportunity of learning about another cultures. In addition, hearing about the impressions foreigners have of one's native country is likely to spawn a better sense of appreciation for it.
Meanwhile, it appears that some environmentalists have claimed that tourism causes some fair share of disturbance to the country's inhabitants. Pollution and damage to some valuable sites are often blamed on tourists. In my opinion, however, this problem could easily be resolved - of course, I admit the possibility of being wrong. It is a fact that tourism calls for carefulness, protection and vigilance, but I would regard it as an exaggeration to say that it must be stopped altogether. As an alternative, the level of control on tourism activities could be increased somewhat.
It has also been reported that some people don't appreciate having tourists in their native countries. This is usually because they prefer tranquility. Saying that one is to ignore those people would be very rude, impolite, and selfish. A way of compromising with them should rather be sought.
In conclusion, I understand tourism is a very appropriate and exciting way of entertainment. People mostly benefit from it. Control in an attempt to prevent some problems from happening, as well as to minimize the disturbance of some people, is welcome and, perhaps, necessary, but, by no means, should tourism be discontinued.
