Tourism - Curse or Blessing
Tourism Resource Development
Individual Assignment
Tourism – A Curse or a Blessing?
Tourism – Blessing or Curse?
Introduction
Tourism is one of the most influential and powerful industrial service sectors in the global economy. With a current contribution of 6-7% of the overall number of jobs worldwide and an annual receipt of around 1,030 billion US Dollars in 2012 (UNWTO, 2012), tourism proves itself as a strong and solid industry. Furthermore, tourism ranks fourth as an export category behind fuel, chemicals and food indicating the power of a service-based industry in the global market (UNWTO, 2012). Nevertheless, tourism is also dealing with its negative impacts on different destinations such as the great dependency of communities on tourism (Page & Connell, 2009) and the great environmental impacts often embodied by pollution and environmental damage (Page & Connell, 2009).
The following paper examines the positive as well as negative aspects of the tourism industry in relation to the Triple Bottom Line. Hence, social-cultural, economical and environmental impacts will be appraised and evaluated in order to answer the question if tourism can be considered to be a curse or a blessing.
Triple Bottom Line
The Triple Bottom Line is a concept of sustainability altercating with three different dimensions, namely People, Planet and Profit. This concept, often represented as a triangle (see appendix, Figure 1.1), outlines a managerial approach focusing on the equal development of social-cultural, economical and environmental resources (Caber, 2012). The socio-cultural (people) component deals with appropriate working conditions for employees of the tourism sector, the involvement of community and stakeholders, a conservation of cultural identity and thereby the overall improvement of life (Caber, 2012). The economical (profit) component includes the interest for industrial growth, favourable businesses and job possibilities (Caber,
Individual Assignment
Tourism – A Curse or a Blessing?
Tourism – Blessing or Curse?
Introduction
Tourism is one of the most influential and powerful industrial service sectors in the global economy. With a current contribution of 6-7% of the overall number of jobs worldwide and an annual receipt of around 1,030 billion US Dollars in 2012 (UNWTO, 2012), tourism proves itself as a strong and solid industry. Furthermore, tourism ranks fourth as an export category behind fuel, chemicals and food indicating the power of a service-based industry in the global market (UNWTO, 2012). Nevertheless, tourism is also dealing with its negative impacts on different destinations such as the great dependency of communities on tourism (Page & Connell, 2009) and the great environmental impacts often embodied by pollution and environmental damage (Page & Connell, 2009).
The following paper examines the positive as well as negative aspects of the tourism industry in relation to the Triple Bottom Line. Hence, social-cultural, economical and environmental impacts will be appraised and evaluated in order to answer the question if tourism can be considered to be a curse or a blessing.
Triple Bottom Line
The Triple Bottom Line is a concept of sustainability altercating with three different dimensions, namely People, Planet and Profit. This concept, often represented as a triangle (see appendix, Figure 1.1), outlines a managerial approach focusing on the equal development of social-cultural, economical and environmental resources (Caber, 2012). The socio-cultural (people) component deals with appropriate working conditions for employees of the tourism sector, the involvement of community and stakeholders, a conservation of cultural identity and thereby the overall improvement of life (Caber, 2012). The economical (profit) component includes the interest for industrial growth, favourable businesses and job possibilities (Caber,
References: Brasser, A. & Zumbrink, F. (2013). Tourism & Nature Conservation [Power Point]. Leeuwarden, Netherlands: Stenden Hogeschool: Tourism Resource Development. Caber, M. (2012). Sustainability and Local Communities [Power Point]. Leeuwarden, Netherlands: Stenden Hogeschool: Tourism Resource Development. Decroos, C. (2012). Tourism & UNESCO in Bruges [Power Point]. Bruges, Belgium. In cooperation with Stenden Hogeschool: Tourism Resource Development Elkington, J Harvey, F. (2012). Caribbean coral reefs face collapse. Retrieved on the 11th of January, 2013 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/10/caribbean-coral-reefs-collapse-environment Higgibottom, K Kock, I. (Producer) & Timmers, W. (Director). (2011). Framing the Other – When Strangers meet in Name of Tourism. [I CAMERA YOU]. Page, S.J UNWTO. (2012). Toruism Highlights – 2012 Edition. Retrieved on the 8th of January, 2013 from http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/docpdf/unwtohighlights12enhr_1.pdf Verheijen, C Figure 1: The Triple Bottom Line (Tourism Queensland, 2009)