Most of the world's poor live in countries where tourism is a growing industry. The issue is that tourism does not benefit the poorest. How can the income generated by tourism benefit the poor? And how can we ensure that tourism does not destroy traditional cultures and ways of life?
Many countries rely on income from tourism with the benefits being gained by hotels and tour operators. Those on low incomes are less likely to benefit from tourism even though they are likely to leave their traditional way of life in the hope of surviving by selling cheap hand-made products or working in the hotel industry.
Controls and checks should be put into place so that the poor can gain from visitors to a country. The government can ensure that they are not exploited by large profit-making companies but instead receive a minimum wage for their work. What is more, the government can promote fair competition so that those who are self-employed are able to provide their goods and services at competitive prices. Finally, the government can support poor businesses by providing subsidies, favourable loans, cheap rent and other financial benefits.
Unfortunately tourism does not take into account traditional ways of living, for example, people who were traditionally farmers or fishermen turn to tourism as it is more profitable and less labour intensive. An effort should be made to incorporate traditional cultures into tourism so these values and lifestyles are not lost to commercialism and mass production. Tourists could be taken to visit traditional villages and asked to follow certain rules such as refrain from taking photographs. They could also support the local community by purchasing products from them.
In general, tourists are the ones who should show respect when travelling abroad. It is the government's responsibility to protect local life by making sure that people are rewarded for their labour so they don't feel the need to abandon their lifestyle to work in the tourism sector.
Question taken from Focus on IELTS, Longman p.147