International tourism has thrived in recent decades; however, this trend sparks a fierce debate regarding its overall effect. Although it adversely affects the inhabitants and the environment, the detrimental effects are outweighed by the enormous economic benefit, provided that proactive policies are implemented to mitigate potential problems.
One significant advantage of international tourism is that it stimulates job opportunities and eventually contributes to the economy. Tourists’ daily demand for various services, such as accommodation, dining, and transportation, creates employment opportunities within the local service sector. Positions such as hotel staff, cooks, and tour guides are created to address these needs. This benefits not only developed countries but also developing countries; for example, city tourism in Kyoto boosts its catering industry while wildlife viewing in African countries such as Tanzania enables local people to work as safari guides.
However, this boom can impact inhabitants and the environment negatively. Local residents suffer when overtourism occurs. The burgeoning demand arising from mass tourism (e.g., public transport or accommodation) usually outstrips its supply, thus leading to rising living costs and great inconvenience for inhabitants. For example, residents in Kyoto are plagued by the paralyzed traffic caused by the massive influx of international tourists. Fortunately, such issues have been addressed to a certain extent by taxing tourists (e.g., Kyoto City accommodation tax), and the extra public revenue supports the improvement of the public transport system and other facilities and services.
Apart from the disturbance to residents, environmental ramifications warrant attention. Tourists’ daily activities inevitably produce a large amount of waste; when not properly treated, it gives rise to damage to local environment and biodiversity. A case in point is Tanzania, where plastic bottles and bags left by visitors once polluted the Serengeti savanna, causing the death of some species. Nonetheless, such teething problems have been greatly reduced because a blanket ban on plastic items has been imposed.
In conclusion, although international tourism can inevitably bring about deleterious effects on inhabitants and the environment, governments usually act thoughtfully and responsively to alleviate such problems due to its economic benefit. The status quo should be maintained, in which international tourism continues to boom with efforts to tackle possible problems.