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With the technological developments and advent of improved means of transport, tourism has seen a phenomenal rise over the last five decades. However, while tourism industry as a whole has played an important part in boosting overall economic development, its impact on the local population and the environment has been far from being positive. I will now discuss the major pros and cons amongst the many.
Tourism like any other industry, has been playing a major role in creation of employment pan world. For instance employment is generated for guides, travel agents, coaches etc. In addition, it brings massive revenues to the state coffers in the form of direct and indirect taxes for eg. toursim tax and indirect taxes from the hospitality and transport industry. However, these advantages are overshadowed by the negative effects it bring along.
Tourists more than often litter their surroundings with little or no concern for the environment, thereby causing huge pollution problem. A classic example of which is found on the beaches of Goa which is one of the most preferred tourist destination across the world. The litter on the beaches has costed the state with loss of ecological balance and many species of subaqueous animals are unfortunately, now extinct.
Adding salt to the wound, the tourism not only steals away the tradition and culture of the local dwellers but also makes them vulnerable to various diseases that these tourists gift the locals. It may be recalled that for this very reason, the Government of India had to intervene in the matter to protect the aboriginals and it shut the tourism door for Nicobar islands. This was a welcome step to protect the tribes and the rich culture they practised and saved them from numerous diseases brought by the herds of tourists flocking around the tribals, clicking pictures with their high resolution cameras.
From the above analysis, I can satisfactorily infer and opine that the negative impact of tourism, will continue to outweigh the positives it brings to the table, unless concerted efforts are made by the persons in power to make stringent laws for protection of the environment and the locals along-with steps to spread awareness amongst tourists themselves, about the need of respecting the environment and the local dwellers.
