International tourism is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. While I acknowledge that this trend can sometimes have harmful impacts on local inhabitants and the environment, I believe that its positive effects are more likely.
There is no denying that international tourism is able to lead to several harmful impacts. One of the main drawbacks is that mass tourism could bring detrimental impacts on the environment. Taking developing countries as an example, natural resources in developing countries, which are already limited and hardly enough for local people, are now being used for tourism development, resulting in increased water and air pollution and threatens many natural habitats. In addition, relying too much on tourists could make an economy vulnerable to unexpected challenges. For example, the tourism industry, which contributes 15.5% to the total value of Mexico’s GDP, has encountered many difficulties due to international & domestic travel restrictions to ensure safety during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Despite the aforementioned disadvantages, international tourism can provide more important benefits. The first benefit is the economic boost that comes from foreign exchange earnings. Businesses are forced to diversify tourism products to meet the needs of tourists, creating a large source of jobs for local workers, especially in developing countries. Another merit is the opportunities to spread culture between countries. This is because local hosts have the opportunity to interact with customers from other regions and cultures. As a result, they have more opportunities to understand local customs and culture, which is a catalyst for cultural appreciation.In conclusion, it seems to me that the positive benefits of international tourism outweigh the potential impediments.