Tourism in a LEDC : advantages and disadvantages



Tourism in a LEDC : advantages and disadvantages

Tourism in a LEDC can have different problems associated with it. Tourism is often seen by governments in LEDCs as a vital source of income which can be used for development.

Countries that are rich in physical resources - such as warm climates, beautiful beaches and scenery, rare ecosystems, and abundant plant and animal life - are often sought-after holiday destinations by people from MEDCs. Holiday tour operators and business developers invest in these locations, hoping they will become as popular as European resorts.

Tourism: pros and cons

Places such as Kenya in East Africa, where tourists go on safari or Bali in Indonesia, which people visit for the beautiful beaches, all benefit financially from tourism. However, tourism in LEDCs needs to be carefully managed to prevent harm to the environment or local communities. The advantages and disadvantages that might effect an LEDC are shown below.

|Advantages |Problems |

|Foreign currency brought to the region by tourists can be invested |Profits go to foreign companies, such as tour operators and hotel chains, |

|improving local education, health and other services. |rather than to the local community. |

|Jobs for local people are created from tourism giving people the chance to |Foreign companies may bring foreign workers to do the skilled jobs, so local|

|learn new skills in tourism services. |people only do low-skilled, poorly-paid work. |

|Construction of new houses and business premises creates jobs and develops |House prices are pushed up when foreign companies and investors buy property|

|skills for local people. |for hotels and holiday homes. This often makes houses too expensive for |

| |locals. |

|Local infrastructure is improved as water and sanitation facilities, roads,|Important projects for local communities might be side-lined as |

|buses, taxis and airports are provided for tourists. |infrastructure developments are more focussed on tourists. |

|Visitors will get an insight into local customs and traditions that don't |If the aim of activities is to entertain, rather than educate tourists, this|

|exist in Western countries. |may belittle or humiliate the local people. |

|Tourists can see beautiful landscapes, interesting wildlife and plants and |Pollution and disruption to wildlife habitats and wildlife behaviour could |

|be educated to the dangers to fragile ecosystems in the modern world. |occur if there are too many tourists. |

Tourism in the Serengeti

Tourism brings income to the Kenyan people and gives tourists a greater understanding of the biome and its animals and plants. The Serengeti is especially popular for safari holidays which give tourists a chance to observe the annual migration of the wildebeest and zebra.

But tourism can also have negative impacts on the area. These need to be managed carefully to ensure that the natural environment isn't damaged for future generations.

|Positive impacts of tourism |

|[pic]Conservation. Tourism has supplied the economic incentive to set up national parks and conservation areas, in order to protect the wildlife |

|which the tourists come to see. |

| |

|[pic]Employment. Tourism has generated jobs, and therefore improved living standards for local communities. |

| |

|[pic]Infrastructure. This has improved as roads, airports and other facilities for tourists have been built. |

| |

|[pic]Investment. Profits from tourism may be invested in education and other programmes for local communities. |

|Negative impacts of tourism |

|[pic]Environmental damage . Roads and tracks for safari jeeps can erode grass cover, damaging plant and animals species and disturbing local |

|habitats. The removal of vegetation for the construction of roads can lead to increased soil erosion. |

| |

|[pic]Inequality . Often those who benefit most from the profits of tourism are not local people but wealthy landowners or the hotel and travel |

|companies in MEDCs. |

| |

|[pic]Loss of traditional cultures. For example, the disruption to the Masai's way of life and traditional farming methods as a result of the setting |

|up of the Serengeti National Park. |

| |

|[pic]Land clearance. Cutting down trees provides timber for safari lodges and fuel for cooking - but also leads to ecosystem damage through soil |

|erosion. |

| |

|[pic]Water cycle damage. Diverting water for tourists can leave local aquifer and water reserves exploited - leaving local people, plants and animals|

|short of water. Tourist hotels are sometimes responsible for water pollution as a result of waste dumping into rivers. |

Conservation is the key to protecting the Serengeti for future generations. To achieve a sustainable future in the Serengeti, the following policies need to be adopted.

• Local people to be employed by investors;

• Respect for culture and customs for local people;

• Local people receive some financial gain from tourism;

• Social facilities to be improved;

• Better protection of the environment.

• Improved conservation education programmes for local communities and farmers.

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