Adjustments to the Impacts of Tourism - Report Example

Adjustments to the Impacts of Tourism Since the inception of tourism, there has been a diverse effect on people at the various tourist destinations and it should be noted that the magnitudes of these impacts are also diversely felt; and it is especially and severely felt by the populations in the third world countries. In most of these countries, the focus on tourism is mostly on the direct monetary value of tourism. This is because the most part of the economies of these countries are dependent upon tourism (Biredenhann and Wickens, 2004). People and even governments tend to ward off the social as well as the cultural impacts that tourism poses. As such, there are always conflicts, hidden or open, between the local inhabitants and the visitors and even among the locals themselves. A lot of early studies did not take into account these facts. There is also evidence that these socio-cultural impacts have a heavy effect not on only the lives of the locals, but on the future of the whole country (Dogan, 1989). Can these socio-cultural impacts be inevitable? The answer is in the affirmative. This is very possible due to the fact that the tourism industry is still in its inception which makes positive changes feasible (Ap and Crompton, 1993). Keep in mind that these changes will also be slow because as the impacts are diverse, so too will the populations respond to changes in a diverse manner. Others may respond fast and positively to these changes while a lot more will be unyielding to changes. To mitigate the tension that may arise out of these impacts, there is therefore the need to carry out some adjustments or modifications which will not only contribute to the economic development of the tourist destinations, but which will contribute to the socio-economic development of these destinations and their inhabitants, the visitors and uphold their moral values What Adjustments Can Be Made? 1. Adjustments to cultural clash It was not until the 1970s that tourist destinations witnessed a mass influx of visitors (Gunn, 1994; Jafari, 1990; Murphy, 1985) leading to an experiencing of clashes in cultural values between the tourists and the inhabitants on the receiving area. This is solely based on the premises that most of the tourists are not only new to these areas, but they import with them, different values that are not only dissimilar, but that are incompatible with the cultural values of the inhabitants of the receiving area (Archer and Cooper, 1994). This is always manifested in the form of social ills as represented by (Archer and Cooper, 1994; Campbell, 1999; Cano and Mysyk, 2004; Dogan, 1989). These have been also been recognized by the participating countries (Jafari 1990, p. 471) who strongly agree that tourism is a catalyst for the increase of moral decadence. This should not however undermine that fact that a lot of positive impacts can be reaped from tourism (Biederman, 2008; Murphy, 1985; Gunn, 1994; Smith, 2001; Teo, 1994). Adjustments can be made to these. Promoters of tourism should be compelled by law to carry out a comprehensive analysis of impact assessment with may cause any moral, economic or ethical clash with the natural way of living of the locals. This assessment should determine the direct and indirect incidence on the said tourist activities on the moral values of the area in which there is any tourism potential or any other region, the physical environment and the quality of life of the local population. 2. A change in the outlook on tourism It should be noted that the inhabitants to the receiving areas will receive these changes with dissimilar outlooks and in most cases, they usually look for possibilities to maximize any benefits that accrue from tourism, while neglecting any measures to alleviate the negative side of tourism. Ap and Crompton (1993) have identified four different approaches or strategies from embracement, tolerance, adjustment, and withdrawal always developed by the locals to act in response to tourism. On his part Dogan (1989) takes into consideration the five approaches of resistance, retreatism, boundary maintenance, revitalization, and adoption, but the different approaches by these writers seem to have common features. In most destinations, people will have a positive awareness on the impact of tourism and will welcome every positive change that accompanies tourism. There should be sensitization, training, research and education on the environment. For that reason, some aspects of tourism education should be implemented in elementary, secondary school curriculum as well as in institutions of higher learning. Thus, special tourism institutions could be opened. This could qualify the locals into more profitable jobs offered by tourism, as an alternative to menial jobs such as housemaids, gardeners and waiters. In most cases, in order to strengthen tourism awareness in the society and increase the sensitization of and participation of the public in tourism issues, bodies in charge of tourism activities should launch information sensitization campaigns using the media and other local means of information. These could be what will change the attitude of the older generation and open up the minds of the younger ones to be more receptive to tourism. These changes tend to be feasible when tourism it at the initial stages because it will be feasible and easy to be implemented at these stages than at later stages (Fredline and Faulkner, 2003; Perdue, et al, 1999). But Archer and Cooper, (1994) strongly believes that changes will be more accepted in destinations where tourism does not clash with the local culture. Dogan (1989) also believes that this will be more feasible in societies where the elite are not only young, but educated and exposed to modernity than the older people who are more attached to cultural values. 3. Transparent management One thing often noted with people at the receiving area is that they are thoughtless about the positivism of tourism because of several reasons. Some people tend to behave the way they do because they have not adequately benefited from what was conceived to be to their advantage (Ryan, 2002). In most cases, when people feel that they do not have a say in the management and control of tourism, they develop negative attitude to tourism Cheong and Miller (2000). Akama (1996) also identifies the hostility of the locals towards tourism because they believe their culture has been taken over by visitors. The management of all tourist sites should be of national interest. It should be devolved on the administration and each citizen to safeguard the natural heritage. Therefore, tourism and its incidence should be managed nationally to take care of the needs of the present generations without comprising the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs. Tourist sites and revenues from them should be managed under conditions of transparency in close collaborations with the national institutions and the communities who are mostly directly affected by tourist activities. There should further be implementation and follow-up programs on the positivism of tourism. The population should be encouraged to actively take part in tourism management especially through: free access to tourist information; consultative mechanisms to take stock of the opinion and contributions of the local population; a fair representation of the population within tourist advisory bodies and production of tourist information. An advisory body should also be created to sensitize the public to weed out the concept of “selling” the traditions of the locals. Religious rituals, customary cultural rites and sacred sites should not be bargained or tailored to meet the needs of tourists. These are inheritances which should not be degraded to commodities. When there is an overexploitation of natural resources, the older locals, unlike the younger and educated ones, consider this an intrusion into their natural way of living and will tend to be more hostile to the advancement of tourism (TomIjenovic and Faulkner, 2000). It is common knowledge in the developing world that older people will cling to traditions even if it means giving up that tradition for development and will therefore be unreceptive to tourism (Lee, 2008). For example, in most of these tourist destinations, conflicts happen in cases where the natural vegetation will have to be sacrificed for large hotels or recreational grounds such as what obtained in the Maltese islands, Bramwell (2003). A good number of cases still reveal that most inhabitants in these tourist destinations usually retreat from the busy tourist areas to quieter areas in order to escape from the hazards posed by the advancement of tourism Ap and Crompton (2003). For these reasons, an enabling law should determine tourist sites as well as any other sites that are or should be of panoramic beauty and should guarantee their protection and lay down the conditions under which they shall be managed. These sites should be clearly marked out from the natural habitats of the locals. 4. Creation and implementation tourism legislation On a final note, there should be powerful tourism legislations and machineries for implementing these laws. There should be incentive measures as well as punitive measures. Any activity leading to the elimination of the negative impacts of tourism and effective fight against the ills of tourism should benefit from a support fund created and regulated by law. For example, if the promoters of activities are either private individuals or corporate bodies, they should benefit from tax deductions on taxable profits according to the terms laid down by law. Punitive damages should be given to those who undermine the promotion of tourism; those who fail to carry out impact assessments ahead of carrying out any tourist activity; persons who carry out any tourism activities that are not in conformity with the criteria, norms and measures spelled out by the impact assessment or by the law (such as drug abuse, prostitution and child labor) and any persons who obstruct the checks and analysis provided for by law. Incentives and protection could also be given to those who report the violation of such activities. References Akama, J. (1996). Western environmental values and nature-based tourism in Kenya. Tourism Management, 17(8), 567-574. Ap, J. and Crompton, J. (1993). Residents’ strategies for responding to tourism impacts. Journal of Travel Research, 32(1), 47-50. Archer, B and Cooper, C. (1994) "The positive and negative aspects of tourism" Global Tourism: The Next Decade Ed. 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