Unsustainable Tourism

Unsustainable Tourism

Ethical tourism is at a loss. Insensitive human activities in pursuit of recreation and relaxation have endangered the industry. Tourism has gained popularity among social activities, has been a modernized societal arrangement that began in the early centuries. Alongside this, tourism attributes its growth to rapid and widespread information through improved communication channels. While sustainable tourism aims at the preservation of the current and controlling future repercussions, humans are causing significant impacts on the environment and societies. Itis possible through uncontrolled activities of sight-seeing, exploration of cultures, and obtaining artifacts, among others. Such occurrences have gradually rendered some tourist sites unfulfilling to its visitors. With the growth of its unrestrained activities, tourism affects the ecological, social, moral, and economic aspects of destinations geared by the extensive usage of social media platforms.

Tourism attributes to critical loses in the ecology. Vail states, “travelers are altered by new landscapes, values and belief systems, they also alter the people and places they visit”. Tourism is considerably associated with the exploration of different dwellings. During this survey, man can identify new species within various habitats. These newly identified species are collected for study purposes, which requires them to be removed from their habitat. Such loses, either in the form of plants or animals, disrupts the ecological balance, which later hinders the existence of rare species. Apart from gathering activity, clearance of forests for purposes of temporary settlement during travel contributes to deforestation. It gradually constitutes climate changes that cause harm to real nature.

Additionally, weak social interaction among tourists and the locals affects tourism negatively. Urry notes, “holiday-making and travel are more significant social phenomena than most commentators have considered”. Through travel, individuals can interact and understand different cultures and adopt new trends. It is through learning that tourists can identify with the latest practices or languages. During travel, it is then essential that tourists can identify the locals’ ways of living and adapt to it during their stay. It is achievable through seeking involvement in activities, managing conflicting practices, and respectfully turning down offers. By not maintaining a proper understanding between the two parties, it is unlikely for such communities to show hospitality to new tourists.

Likewise, upholding morals during travel is essential. “We gaze at what we encounter” (Urry, 1). More often than not, locals are amused by tourists. It comes in the form of how the tourists conduct themselves, which may not be similar to their ways. As a result, this may strike a desire to imitate or express dismissal in fear of losing their morals.

For this reason, tourists need to show high levels of sensitivity in matters such as religion, dressing, and communication, among others. Demonstration of respect to the locals can be done by temporarily emulating their practices in a manner that does not show prejudice. Without the attempt, the locals are expected to take offense and may become hostile to subsequent visitors.

Similarly, loss of tourism affects the economic growth of a site. “A system of governmentality that ensures that increasing numbers of places around the world monitor, evaluate, and develop their tourism potential” (Sheller and Urry, 3). Tourism contributes significantly to the growth of most economies in the world. It is regarded as an interminable activity that is continuous throughout seasons. Countries with the most historical sites have recorded outstanding financial growth to the number of visitors received. In such places, there is a need for improved security and preservation of venues to be able to host as many guests continuously. Without offering the necessary care and assuring the safety of tourists, destinations are at risk of losing clients. This loss will be accompanied by a reduced foreign exchange that drastically hinders the financial development of a country.

Furthermore, social media platforms have heightened the effect of man on tourism. Urry states, “a closed self-perpetuating system of illusions which provide the tourist with the basis for selecting and evaluating potential places to visit” (7). Media platforms have become quite useful in the developing world. With such improvements, prospective tourists can get reviews from previous visitors to guide their selection. As much as it is considered most efficient in terms of conducting searches, social media platforms have not proven to be reliable.

In most cases, individual opinions tend to be biased depending on experiences. At the same time, most of the publicity done on popular historical sites tend to be negative compared to the positive. Tourists will be discouraged from exploring the unethically advertised places.

In conclusion, the progression of unrestrained activities affects ecological, social, economic, and moral aspects of destinations geared by the extensive usage of social media platforms. Incautious exploration of the environment interferes with the environmental balance, especially to the rare species. At the same time, without minding the social and moral practices of a particular setting, tourists risk experiencing hostility and rejection by the locals. Without good relations, there could be reduced activities that eventually affects the financial growth of a country. Together with these factors, social media platforms have proven to be effective in the growth and drop in tourism, depending on the publicized information. It is therefore vital that both the locals and tourists advocate for proper practices through creating awareness and effecting control measures to ensure sustainable tourism.