Given the growth of the tourism industry, it is often suggested that more money should be allocated to artworks like paintings or monuments to boost the appeal of local areas. Even though this viewpoint holds some weight, I firmly concur that this investment does not always bring about benefits.
Granted, the argument in favor of focusing on modern arts in public places is not entirely baseless. Proponents of this side highlight that forms of arts, like painting or sculpture, show a close relation to the cultural fabric and the history of their homeland. Therefore, these sites can draw the attention of non-native tourists, who have the desire to explore the local culture. This is not hypothetical as the most well-known and appealing tourist attractions in today’s world, such as the Statue of Liberty or the Pisa Tower, are art-related constructions, welcoming a huge number of visitors annually and becoming an iconic emblem for their cities or towns. However, I would argue that compared to the total number of created artworks aiming to boost the local attractiveness, these destinations are only the minority, while most of the similar constructions fail to gain popularity and fall into disuse afterwards.
From my perspective, the decision to invest in improving the city landscapes with paintings and statues can hold some demerits. One prominent problem is the exorbitant cost. This can be attributed to the complicated requirements of such destinations, including building, maintenance, and renovation costs, which may exacerbate the financial burden of the governments if these projects cannot achieve success. On the other hand, it would be more practical for the authorities to place an emphasis on other factors of their tourism to make their hometown an appealing place. Firstly, the governments should allocate more money to cultivate their local hospitality industry to offer visitors hygiene, sufficient, and economical accommodation, as they are the primary factors driving satisfaction and enjoyment of the tourists when they come to the cities. In addition, the current tourist attractions that are already available also ought to be refurbished and upgraded with more stimulating and inclusive experiences for the visitors, motivating them to return to the sites in the future. These plans, compared to the suggestion of allocating money on building new destinations, seem to be safer and more sustainable.
In conclusion, while I acknowledge the underlying reasons behind the advocacy of investing in artworks, I would contend that this decision is not without problems, with financial strain being the most noticeable. In light of this, investment in cultivating the current hospitality services and places of interest should be encouraged more, aiming for a long-term development of the local tourism.