1. Tourism impacts
Developing tourism at what cost?

2. By the end of this lesson
You should be able to:
1. Explain how tourism activities can
lead to economic, social and
environmental impacts
2. Identify and explain the roles of
various stakeholders of tourism

3. What are Stakeholders?
• Individuals or groups with multiple stakes or
interests in an organisation or decision
• Any group or individual who can affect or is
affected by the achievement of an
organisation’s objectives

4. Stakeholders in Tourism
Everyone wants a share of the tourism pie.

5. Stakeholders in Tourism

6. The interactions of the various stakeholders
(human environment) with a tourism
destination (physical environment) results in
impacts (both positive and negative)

7. Present the point creatively using
- examples/actions/conversations/drama/song/drawing
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8. Economic Impact (+)
1. Tourism is an important source of revenue
for many countries
• Accounts for 9.2% of global GDP
• Many LDCs such as Thailand are reliant
on their tourism industry

9. Economic Impact (+)

10. Economic Impact (+)
2. Tourism creates more employment
opportunities for the locals
• Accounts for 8.7% of global employment
• The tourism industry, which is a service
industry, is largely labour intensive

11. Economic Impact (+)
2. Tourism creates more employment
opportunities for the locals
• The unskilled local population can also
hone a skill in the service sector
• E.g. 56.7% of Maldives’ population
involved in tourism industry

12. Economic Impact (+)
3. Propel development of Infrastructure
• Tourists expect a certain level of
infrastructural standards in a destination
• Governments would invest in upgrading
infrastructure to attract tourists
• E.g. $42 billion invested for infrastructure
prior to Beijing Olympics

13. Economic Impact (+)
4. Increase in foreign exchange
• Money earned from other countries in
exchange for goods and services
• Tourism also receive business investments
from other countries eg hotel chains
• Tourism brings in revenue for government
eg taxes/visa

14. Economic Impact (+)
Beijing Olympic Stadium (Bird Nest)
Beijing Olympic Aquatic Centre
(Water Cube)

15. Economic Impact (-)
1. Leakage of Tourism Revenue
• Main components of tourism are
dominated by a few vertically-integrated
players located mainly in developed
countries

16. Economic Impact (-)
1. Leakage of Tourism Revenue
• Thailand -70% of all money spent by
tourists ended up with foreign-owned tour
operators, airlines, hotels, imported drinks
and food, etc.
• Estimates for other Third World countries
range from 80% in the Caribbean to 40%
in India.
• Host country may be exploited for its
natural/ human resources but getting
marginally in return

17. Economic Impact (-)
2. Price Inflation for Locals
• Tourism can lead to an increase in the
prices of goods and services, causing
inflation in the host country
• Local residents would then experience a
higher cost of living and a decreasing real
income

18. Economic Impact (-)
3. Over-reliance on Tourism Revenue
• Tourism suffers from both regional
fluctuations and seasonal fluctuations
• Seasonal fluctuation refers that there are
peak and non-peak seasons within a year
for tourism
• Revenues may be affected due to such
fluctuations leading to livelihood problems

19. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
1. Preservation and Promotion of Local Culture
and Heritage
• Tourists moving away from mass tourism and
are increasingly interested in authentic local
cultures and heritage
• E.g. Tourism has revived Balinese interest
in their own traditions and the admiration
of foreign visitors for Balinese culture have
reinforced the sense of cultural identity
and pride of the people of Bali

20. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
Cultural Tourism in Bali

21. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
Temple Stay Experience, South Korea

22. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
1. Preservation and Promotion of Local
Culture and Heritage
• Important sites of heritage and culture are
also preserved and restored to their former
glory due to tourism
• E.g. Korean palaces (e.g. Gyeongbokgung)

23. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
Gyeongbokgung Palace and Secret
Garden, Seoul, South Korea

24. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
2. Positive Exchanges and Interaction
• Tourism increases the interaction between
local residents and tourists
• Increasing number of volunteer tourism
where
tourists
help
to
improve
infrastructure or social well-being of local
residents

25. Socio-Cultural Impact (+)
Volunteering at Home for the Dying,
Calcutta, India

26. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
1. Dilution/ False Representation of Local
Culture
• Tourism may dilute or misrepresent local
culture through focusing on visual
spectacles to attract tourists
• Culture is being manipulated by tour
operators to maximise economic benefits

27. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
1. Dilution/ False Representation of Local
Culture
• E.g. Criticism from aboriginal leaders in
Taiwan on the failure to interpret cultural or
historical background hidden in aboriginal
activities or festivals
• Instead, there is a focus on superficial
elements such as dance, music and
handicraft

28. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
Aboriginal Culture, Taiwan

29. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
2. Disrespect of local cultures and customs
• Tourists may be insensitive to local customs
and practices and may offend the locals
• E.g. Public intimacy/ drunkenness in
Muslim countries (e.g. UAE, Saudi Arabia)
• E.g. Blatant cultural invasion in Hawaii
when sacred places (including burial
grounds) are removed to make way for
development

30. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)

31. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
2. Disrespect of local cultures and customs
• “Zooification” of local tribes where they are
treated and looked upon as “savages” and
“exhibits”
• E.g. Padaung women of Burma and Mursi
women of Ethiopia often objectified
because of their unique accessories

32. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
Padaung and Mursi Women

33. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
3. Increased Crime and Social Problems
• The influx of wealthy travelers may
increase instances of petty crime
• Criminals often see tourists as an easy
target because they:
– typically carry large sums of money and other
valuables
– Are more likely to be relaxed and off guard while
on vacation
– Are less likely to report crimes or to testify against
suspects, wishing to avoid problems

34. Socio-Cultural Impact (-)
3. Increased Crime and Social Problems
• Tourism may also bring about some social
problems that may affect both tourist and
local population
• E.g. Street prostitution in Thailand and
rising trend of STDs
• E.g. Gambling related problems in
Singapore such as broken families,
incurrence of huge debts

35. Environmental Impact (+)
1. Increased Awareness on Environmental
Protection
• More emphasis has been put into
conserving natural areas and lowering
carbon footprint
• Carbon footprint refers to the total
Greenhouse Gas emissions caused by an
organization, event, product or person

36. Environmental Impact (+)
1. Increased Awareness on Environmental
Protection
• E.g.
Lake
District
Tourism
and
Conservation Partnership has raised over
£300,000 from tourists to support local
conservation and visitor management
schemes
• Increasing trend of Eco-tourism where
tourists
are
educated
about
the
importance of conservation

37. Environmental Impact (+)
Scenic Lake District, Midlands, UK

38. Environmental Impact (-)
1. Destruction of Natural Habitat
• Pristine environments are destroyed by
human development to build tourism
facilities
• E.g. Tourists visiting the Galapagos
Islands have unknowingly brought with
them invasive species which threaten to
destroy native species

39. Environmental Impact (-)
Galapagos Land Iguana- Flattened by
Vehicles
Waved Albatross- Caught in Fishing
Nets
Pinta Island Tortoise- Now Extinct

40. Environmental Impact (-)
2. Pollution
• All forms of pollution, water, air, land,
visual and noise, are intensified when
there is an influx of tourists into an area
• Air pollution as a result of fossil fuel
burning to provide electricity and vehicle
emissions due to increased tourist
transportation

41. Environmental Impact (-)
2. Pollution
• Water pollution when resorts dump
untreated waste into water bodies
• Land pollution when tourists dispose their
litter in pristine environments
• E.g. Trekkers in Himalayas leave behind
their gas cylinders and plastic bottles
during their trek, polluting the environment

42. Environmental Impact (-)
Water Pollution in Bali
Land Pollution in the Himalayas
Air Pollution in Beijing

43. Learning Points
• Each stakeholder has a/ a set of specific
interest(s) that they want to derive from
tourism
• Tourism activities has resulted in
economic, social and environmental
impacts for people and communities at
different scales

44. Homework
text pg 61 q1 [3m], pg 66 q4([4m], q8a[3m]
text pg 61 q1 [3m], pg 66 q4([4m], q8a[3m]
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