Social-Cultural Impacts of Tourism in Europe - Case Study Example

SOCIAL-CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM IN EUROPE SOCIAL-CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM IN EUROPE Instructor name: Insert name: Course code: May 4, 2011 Introduction Tourism is a fast developing industry and a viable segment, contributing considerably to the European financial system. Tourism affects the financial system as well as lives of societies and has proven to be a lifesaver for several destinations. There are actual and apparent worries that are occasionally attached to tourism and mainly connected to badly managed or mass tourism undertakings. Just like any other economic activity, tourism can as well pose negative impacts on communities. These must be reduced and calculated alongside the payback that tourism brings. There are several worries that tourism growth might lead to destinations mislaying their cultural identity in the name of catering for the apparent desires of tourists - especially from international markets. This is based on the annotations of other ‘destinations’ having forsaken their sense of individuality. Nevertheless, study have shown that most tourists travel, not to visit home away from home, but rather to become familiar with the individuality as well as the culture of destinations’ towns, and societies in addition to their attractions. The tourism experience is different to what they can see or do at home and comprises of the experience of actual life and lifestyle of the destinations they visit. Thus sustainable tourism can be a thoughtful tourism (Fact Sheet 5, 2010). A community that takes part in the scheduling and realization of tourism has a more optimistic approach, is more supportive and has better opportunity of making more profits than a community that is passively ruled overrun by tourism. One of the core elements of sustainable tourism growth is community development. This is allowing the concerned community around the destinations’ regions to make decisions concerning the long-term economy, environment as well as equity of all communities. Europe keeps on being the chief source souk for inward bound tourism to Germany, accounting for 74 per cent of all overnight stays. In 2004, the number of overnight stays rose to 33.6 million, an increase of 6.8 per cent on the previous year. Overall, the number of overnight stays by visitors from all western, central and southern European countries rose in 2004. There are several social and cultural impacts of tourism on the destination. In many cases, the communities surrounding the regions of destinations tend to abandon their culture to copy the foreign culture with an aim of attracting the tourists. This paper will discuss the social and cultural impacts of tourism in Europe. Benefits of tourism To get a recap of the economic benefits, the table below shows both the direct and indirect effects of tourism for the year 2004. It shows the contribution made by tourism economy in 2004. Rank Country US$ bn 1. USA 1,244.1 2. Japan 407.9 3. Germany 270.8 4. France 257.1 5. UK 218.5 6. Spain 199.1 7. Italy 197.0 8. China 183.7 9. Canada 107.7 10. Australia 7 The tourism business is decentralized – there is minute reliance on town centers and importations to keep going the tourism activity. Sustainable or society based tourism depends on small, locally controlled business, local features as well as products and flourishes on consumerist activity from persons. Particularly in society owned or controlled business, the tourist dollar re-circulates toting up to the multiplier effect to the local economy. Travelers bring in money into the society by paying for products, services and experiences; mainly food, lodging, voyage along with entertainment. Whereas the biggest financial profit is achieved from overnight guests, considerable profit can as well be extorted through travel. Tourism offers chances for regional growth especially for regional areas experiencing structural transformation. Tourism is a labor intensive industry, and thus when properly motivated can provide great employment and training chances for the youths in particular (Fact Sheet 5, 2010). Tourism is often planned around accessible points of attention, whether natural, tradition, cultural incidents or financial activities. Thus tourism expansion that influences accessible attributes frequently brings a variety of profits to host societies. The lifestyles of host communities are enhanced by improved infrastructure (power, water and communication) as well as access to services such as bank and transport and new investments. If the community benefits from the tourism, it can offer even more support. Tourism may assist in fostering a sense of society pride as travelers decide to visit a location for a reason. Nevertheless, society pride is normally connected to economic riches with wealthy communities more apt to take pleasure in their region. Well-groomed towns and well preserved amenities assist travelers to feel at home and can add to society pleasure (Turismo, Ocio, & Hoteleria, 2010). Constructive social-cultural impact of tourism Cultural tourism is the aspect of tourism that deals with a country or region’s culture, particularly the lifestyle of persons in those geographical regions, history of those persons, their art, architecture, religion as well as other aspects that assisted in the shaping of their life. Cultural tourism mainly entails visitation to urban areas, especially historic or huge cities along with their cultural facilities like theatres and museums. Thus tourism is an interface for cultural exchange, smoothing the progress of the relations connecting host communities to travelers (both local and foreign). Tourism in Europe has several cultural advantages to the host communities and countries at large. When there is sustainable tourism, the host community enjoys numerous benefits and tends to uphold their culture so as to maintain their identity and attract more tourists. They exhibit their culture in more conspicuous manner so as to reveal their uniqueness which further attracts more travelers. Furthermore, they are able to use their talent to produce locally made goods that motivate more tourists. Thus tourism may be utilized as a device for increasing awareness. Branding of home invention and attainments generates regional uniqueness both countrywide and globally. Tourism can as well raise awareness of local issues and requirements. There is an international movement headed for venture in understanding of natural and cultural capital. Attraction to natural and tradition icons frequently assists in finance management efforts in addition to offering chances for efficient management of sensitive and important regions (Fact Sheet 5, 2010). A growing number of cultural merriments are emerging in Europe emphasizing significant events as well as paying respect to ancestry. Cultural events affirm cultural individuality and assist safeguard local customs in younger generations while influencing visitors directly. Europe’s key town areas are multi-cultural and have expanded their own distinctive culture, in spite of several regional areas being greatly influenced by the food and ethnicity of their initiators. Tourism also facilitates for local crafts, foods as well as individualities to be kept active while increasing money for the society. Furthermore, tourism acts as a booster for the conservation and spread of cultural and historical customs. This frequently adds to the preservation and sustainable management of natural capital, the protection of local inheritance, as well as a revitalization of original customs, cultural talents and skills (Fact Sheet 5, 2010). Tourism also facilitates the mixing of local communities with people from different backgrounds with diverse lifestyles which through ‘exhibition effect’ may lead to the growth of enhanced lifestyles and practices by imitating the tourists. This produces a sort of hybridized culture that posses the positive aspects from both the local community and the foreigners. Tourism has also improved the local life of Europeans through advanced local facilities and infrastructure that are developed with an aim of upholding tourism and thus enhancing superior education, health care, employment openings and revenue. Other amenities like sports fields and theatres as well as leisure facilities have been developed which the local people may use mainly when the tourism is out of season. The local people can use them for entertainment, exhibitions or holding cultural and social events like tournaments (Rowe, Smith & Borein, 2002). Tourism also assists in preserving the local heritage of a region and reinforces it skills, architectural traditions as well as ancestral heritage. Furthermore, urban areas which could have declined have been invigorated and the rural urban migration in pursuit of jobs has been reversed since employment is available in the tourism industry. Finally, tourism increases youth exchange programs, village tourism, home swap programs as well as voluntary work overseas. Negative effect of tourism As much as tourism offers certain economic payback to a region or host community at least in the short period, it as well disturbs the local lifestyles along with social structures, and can adversely affect traditional practices that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It uses the physical ecology for benefits that are primarily bound for out of the nation, creating unfavorable impacts on income and lack of profit sharing with the local citizens who will stomach tourism related expenses to both human being and natural surroundings. Furthermore, capital utilization conflicts emerge between tourism and local community as they compete for limited resources of water, sanitation, energy as well as land uses. Most of the worries contiguous to tourism are strongly linked to the unrestrained, indefensible as well as massed tourism. Tourism industry is mainly dominated by private enterprise with the aim of selling experience to make money. Market led strategy can be unsuccessful in accomplishing the goals of sustainable tourism and has a propensity to stop thinking about ecological, social and cultural impacts. Tourism contributes several issues, most of which seem to be unimportant but detract from the excellence of life of local inhabitants. Interruption of everyday life, loss of confidentiality, as well as a sense of crowding contributes to ill feelings towards tourism growth. Host communities’ activities and life styles might be interrupted by tourists leading to resentment towards tourists. This makes the local population to develop a bad attitude towards tourist and view them as nuisance. Tourism transportation is frequently blamed of taking the most excellent sites and local clandestine seen as being sights and losing their destination plea. Furthermore, the infrastructure (roads, railways and healthcare provision) may not have the ability to sustain the greater numbers created by tourism. Poor sanitation may result to diseases for both tourists and host communities (Rowe, Smith & Borein, 2002). If tourism is persistent in a certain community, the local population might tend to copy lifestyles of tourists through ‘demonstration effect’ and the outcomes would be a loss of local cultures and traditions along with standards of behavior as it is in Europe. Furthermore, the host community can lose it native language and traditions and hence the local population would lose a number of its original appeal such as the roman cultures. Another negative effect of tourism in Europe is the increased crime due to a decline in moral and religious values, resulting to greed and jealousy of wealthier tourists. As a result of the socioeconomic variations we have more negative social impact of the tourism: the augment of prostitution, the game, the drugs, in broad-spectrum criminal features that had never come up without the emergence of the guests (Fact Sheet 5, 2010). Finally, tourists have acted in an anti-social manner and thus causing offence to host communities. This has made the local population to resent tourists and act aggressively towards them while some local populations have also developed a similar anti-social behavior. Furthermore some tourists have been noticed to be unprepared for social contact and interaction with the host community – especially in big self-contained resort areas - leading to resentment and constraint in the host community (Rowe, Smith & Borein, 2002). Conclusion Tourism is a service as well as familiarity based business. Communities are supposed to give attention to what they do best and should be cautious not to produce the tourism experience to meet the predetermined touristy standards. It is up to tourism organizations and vendors to make sure that tourists obtain correct information concerning destinations. Many impacts are socio-cultural and a result of being short of information, bogus impersonation, propaganda, deprived communication as well as meager knowledge. Negative awareness and approaches towards guests and sightseeing can as well have an effect on tourism/communities. Open communication guides, suitable discussion, intelligibility and participation at the society level at all stages of the arrangement procedure can assist in communities enchanting rights of their tourism invention. References: Fact Sheet 5: Social & Cultural Impacts of Tourism. 2010, pp. 1-3. From http://www.gawler.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/5_Gawler_Impacts_Tourism.PDF (Accessed on May 4, 2011) Rowe A, Smith J.D & Borein F. 2002. Travel and tourism. Cambridge University Press, NY. From http://assets.cambridge.org/052189/235X/sample/052189235XWS.pdf (Accessed on May 4, 2011) Turismo, Ocio, & Hoteleria. 2010. Evaluation of the Profitability and Economic impact generated by the Europe Senior Tourism Programme. Innova management. From http://www.europeseniortourism.eu/export/sites/senior/comun/descargas/evaluationEuropeSeniorTourismProgramme.pdf (Accessed on May 4, 2011) Read More