Travel and Culture
Discuss ways in which travel has helped to shape the relationship among different cultures and nations.
Throughout history, travel has been one of the main causes of relationship formation among different cultures and nations. From the 15th to 17th century, travel was provoked by the desire for power, freedom, knowledge and economic prosperity. In today’s world, tourism has become the main motive for travel. As modern day tourism is growing to become the world’s fastest growing industry, it is also becoming the primary basis of relationship formation between cultures and nations. Tourism also affects the social, economic and political aspects of these different cultures and nations. This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and the role it plays in relationships among cultures and nations.
One major advantage of modern day tourism is the significant effect it has on a nation’s economy. In most developing countries of the world, tourism is a dominant means of “attracting the coveted foreign exchange” (“Tourism Development”). Tourism creates jobs for the civilians of the “host” country, (approximately 1 employee/ 1000 tourist) (“Tourism Development”), brings in foreign investments and helps generate revenue by way of infrastructure that benefits the host country (“Tourism”). Considering tourism accounts for an overall 30% of the Gross Domestic Product in the top ten destinations of the Caribbean, it is safe to say that tourism has the ability to prevent, what Western nations assume, an already weak economy from getting worse (“Tourism”). This is especially true in the case of developing nations. An example of this is presented by the Bahamas. “Every year between 60% and 70% of the gross domestic product is generated by the tourist industry.” (Iwersen-Sioltsidis, and Iwersen 302) Though this causes the success of economic structure of the Bahamas to be dependent on tourism, the benefits it brings to the country such as increase employment
Throughout history, travel has been one of the main causes of relationship formation among different cultures and nations. From the 15th to 17th century, travel was provoked by the desire for power, freedom, knowledge and economic prosperity. In today’s world, tourism has become the main motive for travel. As modern day tourism is growing to become the world’s fastest growing industry, it is also becoming the primary basis of relationship formation between cultures and nations. Tourism also affects the social, economic and political aspects of these different cultures and nations. This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and the role it plays in relationships among cultures and nations.
One major advantage of modern day tourism is the significant effect it has on a nation’s economy. In most developing countries of the world, tourism is a dominant means of “attracting the coveted foreign exchange” (“Tourism Development”). Tourism creates jobs for the civilians of the “host” country, (approximately 1 employee/ 1000 tourist) (“Tourism Development”), brings in foreign investments and helps generate revenue by way of infrastructure that benefits the host country (“Tourism”). Considering tourism accounts for an overall 30% of the Gross Domestic Product in the top ten destinations of the Caribbean, it is safe to say that tourism has the ability to prevent, what Western nations assume, an already weak economy from getting worse (“Tourism”). This is especially true in the case of developing nations. An example of this is presented by the Bahamas. “Every year between 60% and 70% of the gross domestic product is generated by the tourist industry.” (Iwersen-Sioltsidis, and Iwersen 302) Though this causes the success of economic structure of the Bahamas to be dependent on tourism, the benefits it brings to the country such as increase employment