The debate of whether tourists should or should not abide by the local culture of the destination country is still ongoing. While welcoming cultural differences of visitors contributes to diversity in the area, I personally believe that foreigners should show respect to the traditional values of the host community.
Undoubtedly, visitors from around the globe come with their own behavioral settings, languages, and habits, which adds heterogeneity to the recipient society. As a result, the local people get an opportunity to learn about various customs from the tourists’ homelands. For example, native Arabs in Dubai have become more tolerant to other cultures as the city gained popularity as a luxurious and unique vacation destination. Had it not been crowded with a plethora of foreigners, the UAE would still be known as a bigoted state. However, if too many tourists influence the customs, the recipient country’s quaint values will weaken over time, leading the national identity to fade away.
On the flip side, travelers should recognize that the host country’s customs deserve to be conformed to. This is because ethnic heritage had been preserved for centuries, if not millennias, usually costing millions of lives. By neglecting local traditions, visitors offend the folks, which in turn could potentially spark a serious conflict on national grounds. For instance, in Thailand, several tourists have faced backlash for getting tattoos of Buddha, which is considered deeply obnoxious in the Thai society. This is why I totally agree that foreigners have to adhere to the cultural specificity during their vacations overseas.
In conclusion, although diverse backgrounds of guests could be beneficial to the host country, I think that tourists should obey the local customs to avoid misunderstandings.