Recent Trends in Tourism and its impact on our culture and economy. (Notes in connection with Listen to the Mountain - Kavery Nambisan)

           “Remove nothing from here except nourishment for the soul, consolation for the heart and inspiration for the mind” reads a board displayed at Iravikulam National Park, Munnar.

            The delight in seeing the unseen, hearing the unheard and experiencing the inexperienced are the things that motivate a tourist. However these days we witness so many unhealthy trends in the tourism sector that are harmful to  tourist destinations and services associated to it.

            If we check the statistics we can find that the number of tourists arriving our country increases on a daily basis. They come for various reasons including sight seeing, trade and entertainment. Tourists arrive in a place as guests but as they leave, they leave as masters. Unchecked (uncontrolled) tourist entry negatively affects environment. They litter biodiversity parks, forests, waterfalls and other natural habitats with plastic bottles, beverages and food refuse. Light pollution and noise pollution only add to the problem. The ecological impacts of this sort seriously affect the flora and fauna (plant and animal life) of the respective places. The undesired effects created by tourists activities such as hiking, trekking, kayaking, bird watching, wildlife safaris, surfing and scuba-diving  is hard to measure.

            Tourism helps a great deal for the cultural transactions among people. It is an occasion for the local community of a tourist spot to know and appreciate the foreign culture of a tourist. The language, food habits, dressing styles and art forms mutually get transferred to both ways. However, oftentimes it creates so many negative impacts as well. Some believe that tourists are not interested in cultural forms and traditions of the locals, but are rather obsessed with owning a part of it. The ‘selfie-culture’ is an example for that. Oftentimes tourists act as carriers of new diseases. They may also introduce drug abuse and criminal activities among people. This might lead the focus of tourism to shift from gaining experience to the promotion of a consumer culture. It is also observed that culture becomes just like any other commodity (trade good)  to be sold.

            Tourism presents us with so many benefits. The major benefit of tourism is its economic contribution to the coffers (box for storing valuables) of nation. Employment near and around the tourist places increases in the form of residents engaging as sellers of collectibles and handicraft products. It also boosts transportation, hotels, restaurants, home-stay and resort business.

            The challenge before us is the balancing of tourist activity and the preservation of tourist places. This can only be done through the promotion of sustainable tourism and virtual tourism which aim to reform and educate the industry.

           -Anjoe-