Globalization, Tourism and Travel Motilities - Essay Example

PERSONAL ESSAY al Affiliation Personal Essay Introduction Travel and tourism can be illustrated in various perspectives depending on a tourists main aims, which be defined as part of the results of social integration, communication, and transportation aspects (Page and Connell, 2010). Travel involves the movement of an individual between different geographical regions for various reasons including tourism, recreation, and research among others (Page and Connell, 2010). Despite having multiple nationalities, an individual can travel to different sites as long as the relations between the two countries match. On the other hand, tourism is referred to as the part of travel for religious, recreation, business purposes and leisure among others. Mostly, international tourism is the common part of travel that involves moving to new areas for personal preferences (Carlsnaes, Risse-Kappen and Simmons, 2013). “Tourist or not?” My movement between U.K and Hong Kong explain a double understanding of tourism. Despite being Hong Kong national, there is the presence of local and international tourism. International travel is mostly associated with tourism; hence, the movement between the two countries may describe me as a tourist (Yokoyama, 2008). Additionally, a tourist can also be defined based on the recreation standards that include the vacations during holidays. Spending the holidays in Hong Kong with my mum and dad shows that there is a motive for local tourism the nationality. Since the holidays are being spent at the hometown, it may be considered more of international travel rather than tourism. Importantly, the domestic tourism defines locals of a various state traveling around the country. Additionally, it can also be described as inbound tourism since there is an inflow of locals that include my sister and me. A tourist does not have to visit a new place in order to be officially declared a ‘tourist (Sharpley, 2006). One can visit the same place several times due to personal tastes. According to my case, I can be referred to as a tourist due to the changes space and mobility. Despite visiting Hong Kong several times a year, there is still a possibility to be referred to as a tourist. Additionally, all the main factors involved in traveling are present in my case. Travel as a necessity A requirement shows that an individual has to travel in order to live a normal life (Yokoyama, 2008). As a result, travel as a necessity will depend on personal preferences and needs of an individual. Moreover, there are forced need such as jobs and other activities that may involve research in different geographical environments; hence, engaging in travel. According to my case, travel can be defined as a necessity due to some of the set unavoidable conditions. For example, having both parents in Hong Kong leads me and my sister to visit them most of the holidays. Additionally, having a Hong Kong nationality and owning a U.K passport increasing my chances for traveling since there are fewer barriers compared to other individuals. Recent changes in the transport and communications system have increased tourism rates and travels locally and internationally (Carlsnaes, Risse-Kappen and Simmons, 2013). There are fast, efficient and reliable mediums of transport that facilitate travel as a necessity. For example, an individual with a research requirement has a variety of transport systems to search from depending on the urgency of the research. As for my case, traveling to and back from Hong Kong presents me with a purpose for some of the necessities back in the U.K that include summer and other public holidays. A research on travel as a necessity shows that changing lifestyles show the perception of vacation as a necessity rather than a choice. Employment trends show that most individuals travel to reduce stress caused in various workplaces. There is the requirement to move from the U.K despite having the countrys passport to Hong Kong, which can be described as a cultural practice.The main necessity is family visiting that may give rise to other activities such as visiting the local sceneries to find out whether there are any changes while we were away. As a result, the need for the travel contributes to a tourist’s actions. Travel as a freedom Freedom is a provision of the human rights that is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It presents the choice of traveling to any geographical location as long as you have the required legal documents. As long as an individual holds the right documentation, he/she is free to visit different places (Yokoyama, 2008). However, there on has to respect the set rules and regulations especially for tourists that are not familiar with the new locations. As for my case, I have the freedom to move with ease between the two countries. Possession of a U.K passport show presents me with its nationality. Hong Kong, on the other hand, is the home country; hence, nationality is by birth. These factors ease my travel activities because there are no stops along borders and airports that may stop me from tourism. Notably, travel as a freedom mostly occurs in the local tourist activities because individuals avoid the long procedures and checks for attaining international freedom of travel through visas, passports, and other legal documents. Travel as a source of pleasure / luxury Movements between regions can also be caused by various necessities such as pleasure. It can also be understood as a state of extravagant living where the rich travel to some of the tourist destinations globally. Changing lifestyles due to lavish living have increased air and water travel as part of globalization. According to my case, there is a sense of luxury because of the frequency at which I fly to Hong Kong. Based on normal lifestyles, most individuals cannot get enough transport fares to move to Hong Kong during all holidays and summer vacations. Importantly, the amount of financial aid determines the rate of travel between individuals. It also influences the differences between local and international tourism. Travel can also be defined as a source of pleasure whereby fantasies can be experienced through movement from different locations. For example, my pleasure includes meeting my parents back at Hong Kong. The aspect can be based on cultural and social principles that are found in different families. Impacts of travel, mobility, and migration in the development of modern cultures and communications Advancements in technology have facilitated the enhancement of different transport and communication factors. For example, the presence of the state of the art commercial planes has led to an increase in the number of tourists and travels annually. Additionally, other transportation mediums including superhighways, cruise ships, and bullet trains facilitate both local and international travel. Communication technologies have led to the modernization of social and cultural values (Martell, 2010). Individuals can share information effectively without any delays. They have also facilitated fast immigration connections where an individual can be issued with a visa faster than before. A link between states has also simplified migration activities. Additionally, technology has also assisted in the offering of multiple nationalities whereby an individual can be monitored in different countries. Social and cultural integrations have led to an increase in tourism and travels (Martell, 2010). Travel as a need for research leads to exchange of cultural values leading to a modernization of some of the radical societies. The essay explains some of the cultural integration whereby I am a British Chinese born in Hong Kong. The travel to and from the U.K is due to the nationality of my dad. Consequently, there has been cultural diversity where one has to follow and respect both cultures. Tourism and travel have been used to show the differences in personal spaces. Development of modern cultures and communication systems has had both negative and positive impacts on the society. For example, there is the assimilation of different languages due to cultural developments such as seen in my situation. An individual can easily understand foreign languages due to increased socialization among different countries as seen in the case of the U.K and Hong Kong. Tourism and travel have also been a way of opening up traditional cultures through the exchange of values. Major theories of space and spatiality present in the mentioned case Space and spatiality is one of the major aspects of social sciences that include an understanding for Geography. It is a continuous extension viewed based on the existence of objects around the region. Tourism and travel can be used to extend the spaces as viewed by different individuals. The geographical view defines the space. For example, there is a difference between the geographical views of the U.K as compared to Hong Kong. Space and spatiality can be defined as principles for tourism and travel. Spaces may include physical aspects that are created by an individuals special practice of the society. The space can be developed by members in the same geographical position in order to fit the demands. For example, traveling to Hong Kong fulfils the urge of the necessity to see my parents. Additionally, the U.Ks space provides another perception of space that includes life and other daily activities. The second space includes the conceptualized space that is used by a specific team of individuals with the same ideologies. Such spaces can be used to provide a view of a fantasy in a specific field such as culture, were only people with the same cultural values can conceive them. Tourists and travellers have the same space that requires them to move between different geographical points. The third space includes the social or lived place. An example includes the Hong Kong home that I have to visit every holiday. It turns into a lived place after every visit. Their U.K home also acts as a living space due to the presence of a passport and a larger part of my life living in the country. It can be explained by symbol sand objects such as those found in homesteads. Notably, the difference in principles and views of these spaces provide a chance for individuals to travel due to the provided reasons. The necessities differ according to the perception and occurrence of the space. Cultural meaning of space and mobility Space can also be defined based on the different cultures. A change in the principles and values present a different space. For example, the Chinese cultural space is different for the U.K’s. The culture’s mobility rate depends on the cultural space. A perception of a defined culture shows the type of space it is classified in after the analysis. Tourism depends on the cultural space whereby most of the strong-rooted cultures do not fall victims of social and cultural integration. For instance, a view of the Chinese culture shows that it has strong cultural ties compared to those from the Western countries. As a result, there is enhanced mobility but decreased the interference of the cultural spaces. Conclusion Globalization, a process of international integration and exchange of ideologies, has contributed to enhanced tourism and travel motilities. There have been exchanges of cultural spaces between individuals that have later been utilized to form new social and family structures due to intermarriages. Finally, advanced technology, communication, and transportation facilities are the foundations for movements between geographical regions. Reference List Carlsnaes, W., Risse-Kappen, T. and Simmons, B. (2013). Handbook of international relations. London: SAGE Publications. Martell, L. (2010). The sociology of globalization. Cambridge: Polity. Page, S. and Connell, J. (2010). Tourism. Los Angeles: SAGE. Sharpley, R. (2006). Travel and tourism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Yokoyama, Y. (2008). Travel. Brooklyn, NY: PictureBox. Read More