Tourism Troubles

Lyla Kelly, copy editor

Following the second World War in the mid-20^th century, tourism and tourist culture spiked dramatically. This was due to immense economic growth, rise in personal income and developments in air travel. Since then, travel has become a regular activity, leading to globalization and international connections. Tourism brings economic growth to a country and region, educational opportunities and recreation services. Yet, the culture of tourism and what tourists bring can create controversy. 

Travel has a large environmental impact and footprint. The extraordinary use of air travel – that has grown exponentially since the late 20^th century and continues to do so in the 21^st century – leads to great amounts of carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to global warming. Valuable land is used for various train stations, hotels, airports and public transportation, which reduces natural resources and habitats, and adds to pollution levels. 

Socially, tourists are not loved but are either viewed neutrally or hated. Locals who have a neutral opinion on tourists may recognize the benefits that travel has on their communities, yet do not necessarily encourage large crowds. Many locals in popular tourist cities – such as New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo and Barcelona – are frustrated by tourists’ presence. Not learning the regional or national language, speaking loudly and having a lack of spacial awareness are some popular stereotypes regarding tourists. There is a common consensus that tourists are annoyances, flitting around the various travel destinations, disregarding local norms or culture. 

However, there are many positive effects of tourism, such as support for businesses, the generation of jobs and driving infrastructure improvement. These create a flourishing and lively community. Individuals travel to feed curiosity surrounding different locations, a childlike dream to explore new cities, see new landscapes and interact with diverse groups of people. While there are travelers that fit the negative stereotypes – stemming from disrespect or lack of common sense – there are many that maintain social standards and do their best to not fall into that box. Supporting independent businesses, tipping well and learning local culture are some prime examples of positive tourism behaviors.  

“Tourism is great for the city and local governments, also it creates jobs for many residents of the place, that might not otherwise be possible.  I think that it brings awareness and education of different cultures and ways of life that can be positive for tourists. Hospitality is usually genuine and enjoyable. But I think that some of the negatives about tourism culture is the pollution and the degradation of the monuments and cities natural beauty,” said the hospitality and marketing teacher, Mr. Johnson. “The positives outweigh the negatives.  Having an ability to see, learn and experience new places through tourism is an invaluable experience.” 

Overtourism plays a considerable role in anti-tourist sentiments, especially in areas with high levels of travel. Bangkok, Thailand is the most traveled-to city in the world, with over 30 million visitors per year. The rich culture and the popular sites make it highly popular with travelers from East and Southeast Asia, as well as the United States and Russia. However, despite the benefits of tourism, the vast amount of visitors cause an increase in local living, pollution, waste generation and strains on infrastructure. Local sites, shops and activities become tourist traps, rather than authentic parts of the community. The situation is similar in Barcelona, Spain, where short-term rentals (AirBnB, VRBO) price out locals, infrastructure is harmed due to overcrowding and the reliance on tourism limits the job market. This is happening all over the world - London, New York City and Paris are all suffering in the same ways. 

In addition to the effects tourism has on a destination, there are common habits and actions that come with being a tourist. Before a trip, the planning takes place; scrolling blogs and social media for recommendations, organizing itineraries, purchasing tickets and more. During this stage, excitement and anticipation builds. Oftentimes, a wave of consumerism is associated with travel preparation. This includes the necessities, such as device adapters or chargers, medicines and important documents. There is another side to that rise of shopping, with some travelers having a desire to find a specific wardrobe to fit that trip. It goes beyond purchasing the essentials, such as a much-needed raincoat or a solid pair of walking shoes. Many want to update much of their clothing pieces to fit an envisioned “vibe”. Unnecessary shopping sprees creates expenses, but also encourages fast fashion, pushes and buys into trends and creates waste. Instead, those traveling should focus on the items that they truly need, purchasing specific items for a specific purpose. 

Consumer culture is not limited to the period before the trip, but bleeds into the travel itself. Souvenirs are commonly loved and popular aspects of traveling, a strategy to maintain memories and bring a part of that destination home. It is sentimental, but many places manipulate both this feeling and tourists’ desire to shop to make profit, according to Quirk’s Media. This has only grown with the use of social media, with some feeling an urge to showcase their experiences via material goods. “Hauls” on Instagram and TikTok are immensely popular and fuel the cycle. Jellycats, postcards, keychains, clothing and accessories are the top choices of souvenirs. Recommendations for shops in specific cities go viral, and those stores and locations gain a great number of customers who are actively searching for that place when they travel. For example, Armchair Books, a bookstore in Edinburgh, Scotland, has received attention for being “aesthetic” and “Instagrammable”. 

On the other side of the world, Hawaii has been a popular tourist destination for nearly 60 years. The waves of travelers have a great impact on the economy there, bringing in billions of dollars, providing job opportunities and income. However, that doesn’t apply to everyone. A majority of the jobs are low paying that do not align well with the expenses of living in Hawaii. Similarly to the situation in Barcelona, people in the community are getting priced out of living due to short-term rentals. In addition, many wealthy people own real estate otopn various islands, which increases costs and limit land usage. Just like any other popular destination, there is a large environmental impact and increase in pollution. Considering the fact that Hawaii is famous for its natural beauty, there have been extensive efforts to preserve and conserve the landscapes. Following the fires in Maui in August of 2023, there was public support for close to no travel to the islands, to allow for restoration and relief. However, there were limited success, as some tourists continued to travel. This only fueled the controversy. 

Similarly, the Caribbean faces similar challenges. While the region’s local economies are supported by travel, the high level of tourism harms the environment, much like the situation in Hawaii. Not many jobs are impacted by tourism, which ultimately hurts the local population. The environmental effects are great as well, considering pollution, as well as degradation of marine life and habitats. The various waste facilities struggle to keep up with these levels of overtourism.  

Yet, despite the many benefits of traveling and the positive effects of tourists, there are many concerns for local living and the environment that play a large role in how the future of tourism will play out.