Tourism has been proven to be a reliable source of money for locals, but, if not taken care of properly, tourists can lead to problems. This essay will argue that the bright side of people travelling, in particular being essential for the local economy, outweigh the downside, specifically that tourist don’t respect the places they visit.
On the one hand, several places around the world base their economy on the money brought in by tourists. In fact, these areas continuously develop and reshape to be able to welcome more and more people: they build restaurants, hotels, shops and attractions. People are hired both to build and to manage these kinds of facilities, leading to clear advantages for local economies. For example, in Italy, on some islands like Lampedusa, people rely all year on the money earnt during summer, and they couldn’t survive without it.
On the other hand, tourists are often accused to be disrespectful towards the environment and the local communities during their trips. Especially families and young people, when on holiday believe they can do whatever they want. Several episodes confirm this, such as when some Dutch tourists bathed in the Trevi Fountain in Rome, leading to general indignation. However, these behaviors are fortunately rare, and rules are constantly being implemented to prevent such incidents from happening.
In conclusion, even though tourists can sometimes behave inappropriately, tourism plays an essential role in local economies and therefore I endorse the idea that the benefits of tourism outweigh the negative sides.