Tourism is becoming a great part of the modern world. It has many influences on all aspects of people’s lives and it has been increasing. Even though tourism might seem unimportant or insignificant, it is a great part of human life and history, which should be paid attention to just like any other important issue. Historically, tourism has had a questionable role in the way it is seen by the majority of society. It seems that there is not much to study about it and so, people did not feel an apparent need to pay any attention to tourism or the recording of anything related to it.
A close examination of the historical records shows that there is much relation between travelling and human history. People have always been travelling to different areas in search of a better place to live or to enjoy the process itself. There is a reference to Germany and the time of war, when Germans would travel and so, tourism and its sometimes inhumane nature have become connected historically. Overall, tourism has been greatly misrepresented in history when compared to politics, economics, human development and other important issues (Larsen 157).
Global tourism and economy are very much interconnected and it is becoming more evident in the present times. When a business person or a company is interested in the resources or other economic prospects of the country, they travel there in order to establish an agreement or to research the conditions while discovering the potential business deals. This in turn leads to people spending time in the new setting where their interest brings them to look for new and unknown places. The majority of time a person on a business trip has moments to spare and so, they go on a tour of the local sights and discover another side of the country.
Some places have become tourist attractions because of an increased business culture. Some world centers are known for their particular and unique type of industry, be it products or services and the increased number of people will eventually lead to them spending time in places other than their business related deals. Tourism itself has a great influence on the economy. There are many places in the world that do not have natural resources or products or services that can be exported and tourism has become one of the major economic gains of such places. A lot of regions in the warmer countries are considered tourist destinations and the majority of their economy is supported by tourism (Becken 71).
With the rapid development of tourism, there came to be a number of employment opportunities and they have been greatly increasing. There are very many services in the tourism industry that the tourists look for. One of the factors that influence employment opportunities and abilities is the local population and its economic and social conditions. If a country is rather well developed, the government is able to provide opportunities and programs for tourism training and offers jobs, which are accompanied with good working conditions and reputation. Sometimes, the economy of the country will not allow the development of tourism because it seems very costly with bigger problems at hand (Ayac 13).
It is a fact that there are very many beautiful places in the world that must be visited but sometimes it is almost impossible because there are no houses or hotels to live in, the conditions in the country are devastating and thus, there is no time to deal with tourism. If someone does get employed in the tourism industry, the rewards are great because that person gets to travel all over the world and enjoy all the benefits of the industry. It is interesting that almost all parts of the tourism industry have some sort of business or production that the country offers. It has all the economic and political aspects of the country and so, tourism and the employment company become a nation in itself. There is its own way to do things, to provide the services, and the products are also very unique to the specifications of the industry.
Not only does tourism deal with the way people enjoy themselves personally, it also influences the state of the world and the relationship between different countries and people. There are very many ways in which tourism can lead to the bettering of conditions in the world and aid in the establishment of peace and equality. When people from one country come to another, they get a better understanding of the culture and people. The reasons why the culture is different and why people do certain things and avoid others become apparent. Tourists get an understanding of the culture and the motives and so, through understanding, they comprehend the people’s minds without any conflict.
Tourism is a perfect way for people to make friends. When someone is on vacation they are not stressed or preoccupied with work and routine responsibilities. Their mood is automatically increased and people are more socially available than at times when they are at work or home. The atmosphere of tourism and vacation is based on enjoyment of time, pleasure of doing nothing or something that is directed to the heart and soul. Travelling allows for people to connect and there is a direct relationship between the amount of travelling and the amount of peace between nations (Khamouna 80).
Unfortunately, tourism is greatly affected by disasters and terrorist activities. There are forces that create conditions which are diminishing the amount of tourists coming in. People who know that the country is divided by war or has an epidemic of some sort, will not willfully go and visit such a country. For example, at the time of the Sars epidemic, China has had a great economic stability decrease. People were afraid of catching a potentially deadly decease and so, everyone who wanted to visit China has diverted to other places (Chan 3). Natural disasters play a crucial role in the tourist business. Earthquakes, volcano eruptions, tsunami and the general devastation of the country after such disasters, are all deterrent for people to come and visit. Tourism is associated with a good time-spending and enjoyment of the surrounding environment, while destruction and epidemics are on the opposite side of the spectrum.
This is also true of terrorist acts and wars. When America was hit with the actions of a terrorist group, event now known as 9/11, people were concerned that such acts might repeat themselves while they are on vacation in the United States. It is obvious that people are very much concerned with their safety and the safety of their families and will not go on a vacation in a country, which is torn apart by military conflict or acts of terror. This makes tourism a rather sensitive industry with much interdependence between the conditions in the country and the want of people to visit such country.
Culture and tourism are considered to be one entity, as culture is being constantly represented in the tourism. When tourists come into a new setting, they want to get to know the local traditions and culture. Any tourist location has locally made products that are bought and then travel all over the world. The new culture of a country is little known to the tourists and people who visit are guaranteed to take tours to see local places of importance and value. Often, the local people will prepare shows and demonstrations of their history and value to tourists. This creates a connection between people and familiarizes both with the unique qualities of each other’s culture.
When people visit another country, they become immersed in the whole world of new experiences. The way people live, work and enjoy themselves, are all points of interest to a tourist. The film industry, major events, market, arts and many other aspects of a culture, all present great wonder. It is not only nature that people are interested in, they want to feel the way of life of individuals who have been raised and grew up in a society much different from their own. Tourism is centered on people and the contributions that they make into the understanding and experiences of other people. A simple visit to a place will never end with sightseeing. People’s interaction and communication is one of the most important aspects of tourism (Submitted 1).
Works Cited
Ayac, Aslihan. “Tourism Employment: Towards An Integrated Policy Approach.” Anatolia: An International Journal Of Tourism & Hospitality Research 21.1 (2010): 11-27. Print.
Becken, Susanne. “Oil, the Global Economy and Tourism.” Tourism Review of AIEST – International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism 66.3 (2011): 65-72. Print.
Chan, Kelvin. “World Tourism Body Gets Elevated UN Status.” South China Morning Post (2003): 3. Print.
Khamouna, Mohammed, and Jeffrey B. Zeiger. “Peace through Tourism.” Parks & Recreation (1995): 80. Print.
Larsen, Jonas. “Histories of Tourism: Representation, Identity and Conflict.” The Journal of Transport History 27.2 (2006): 156-7. Print.
Submitted, Jenny S. “Commission on Culture & Tourism Goes on Tour.” Hartford Courant (2008): 1. Print.