The growth of the international travel industry has indeed brought many benefits to both travelers and the host nations. Although this development has some negative consequences, I would argue that these are outrivalled by the positives.
On the one hand, some aspects of international travel, principally the tourist trade, raise concerns. On the part of the tourists, they could arrive at an overseas destination only to find that the prices are grossly inflated. They may be overcharged for everything from a taxi, to a meal in a restaurant, or buying a souvenir. On the part of the host country, the problems of waste disposal, pollution, and unregulated construction of hotels and tourist attractions often result in permanent damage to the environment. Many beach resorts in Thailand and Malaysia, for example, have become “concrete jungles” of high-rise hotels and apartments to accommodate mass tourists from Europe.
On the other hand, the aforementioned grave issues, which are not insurmountable, must be considered against the positives of the growing international travel industry. First and foremost, there is ever-greater competition among tour operators to provide value for money holidays, so that holidaymakers can enjoy their experience of a foreign country and culture to the full. Besides, the influx of foreign tourists brings money to the host country through the provision of jobs and services for the developing hotel and construction industries. Employees in these sectors generally benefit from higher wages and improved living standards.
In conclusion, I believe that the strengths of international travel for both travelers and host countries like positive business competition and better standards of living are greater than the drawbacks such as inflation and environmental pollution.