Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism - Essay Example

Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Introduction Tourism has a variety of social and economic effects. According to Aref and Gill (2009), the total economic effects of tourism are characterized by the induced, direct and indirect effects within a specified region. Tourism also has an impact on employment, age structure and family. Queensland is one of the primary tourist destinations in Australia. Queensland is located in an attractive coastal location that has a lush rainforest environment. The region has a well-established and diverse tourism industry. According to West (2013), tourism plays a critical role in Queensland’s economy. West (2013) adds that tourism accounts for around 8% of gross state product of Queensland. This paper examines the socioeconomic impacts of tourism on Queensland. The paper explores an array of literature on both the positive and negative effects of tourism on the economy and social lives of Queensland locals. Finally, a reflection on the socioeconomic impacts of tourism on Queensland and strategies for future planning for tourism development is given. Literature Review According to West (2013), tourism is important in the daily life of Queensland residents. West (2013) adds that tourists accounted for 19% of the total number of people counted in the 2006 consensus. Studies by Sharma and Dyer (2009), have found differing attitudes of Queensland locals to development of tourism in the areas between Airlie Beach and Atherton Tablelands. Communities from both areas felt that development of tourism was positive although, people from Atherton Tablelands were not willing to undergo lifestyle changes caused by tourism (Sharma & Dyer (2009). Pegg, Patterson and Gariddo (2012) focuses on the different attitudes of people of Airlie Beach and Atherton Tablelands. While people from Airlie Beach have accepted the busy tourism hub and future anticipate for more of tourism style in the, people from Atherton Tablelands have opposite anticipations. When people from Atherton Tablelands are discussing future tourism plans, they claim to value the rural relaxed feel of their community (Pegg, Patterson and Gariddo, 2012). A lot of literature focuses on the economic benefits of tourism on the residents of Queensland. Mayer, Mueller, Woltering, Arnegger & Job (2010) claims that tourism creates employment both directly and indirectly. While some local residents are employed within the operations of tourism industry, others are employed indirectly in other industries, such as transportation and retail. Hamin & Gurran (2009) supports this claim by stating that when local people are paid, they spend their wages on goods and services, leading to a multiplier effect, which creates more jobs. Furthermore, small scale businesses thrive within the tourism industry. According to Hall and Page (2014), small-scale businesses are important for the residents of Queensland because they generate tax revenues that can be used to develop houses, schools and hospitals. Tourism also has negative economic impacts on Queensland. For tourism to be successful, it relies on development of roads, hotels, visitor centers and other basic infrastructure. According to Goulding, Horan & Tozzi (2014), the cost of establishing basic infrastructure to boost tourism, falls on the government through the use of tax revenues. Goulding, Horan and Tozzi (2014) adds that, while tourism is believed to create jobs for the local residents, the jobs are seasonal and poorly paid, yet tourism has the capability to push up the prices of properties, goods and services. According to Gurran, Hamin and Norman (2008), tourism does not always positively impact the economy of Queensland because some of the money generated leaks to international companies, such as hotel chains. A research, which was done by Israeli, Mohsin and Kumar (2011), claims that Queensland is at a great risk of undergoing natural disasters, terrorism and economic recession. Reid, George, Mair & George (2009) states that tourism has different social effects on the people of Queensland. Some tourists may not be sensitive to the traditions and standards of the local people, causing an impact on the kind of interaction they have. According to Quinn (2013), the effects caused by interactions between tourists and residents can be positive or negative. Seetanah (2011) supports this claim by giving examples of interactions between tourists and residents, such as residents mixing with tourists from diverse backgrounds, which can lead to demonstration effect. Demonstration effect may cause the locals to develop improved practices and lifestyles by copying the examples of the tourists. Simão and Partidário (2012) adds that the lifestyles of the residents have been improved through installation of better local infrastructure and facilities. Facilities and infrastructure are developed to sustain tourism. According to studies by Slåtten and Mehmetoglu (2011), the areas that have developed tourism have more job opportunities. In addition, the locals are well educated. Thus, improved local facilities then lead to better health care, employment opportunities and education. Slåtten and Mehmetoglu (2011) states that one of the most important social impacts of tourism in Far North Queensland is increased cultural and social events. Local people have social events, such as exhibitions and entertainment, made available to them. Moreover, the social lives of the local Queensland people have improved through the use of improved leisure and sports facilities. Farsani, Coelho and Costa (2011) add that tourism has encouraged the preservation of traditional festivals, handicrafts and customs that may have died. Consequently, Lolli (2013) concludes that tourism increases civic pride. While a lot of literature is focused on the economic benefits of tourism, only few literature focus on its negative social effects and community health. Stork and Turton (2009) concludes that tourism not only affects the economy and the environment, but also changes the way of life of the local communities. For example, Tews, Stafford and Tracey (2011) observe that the behaviours of visitors can have a negative effect on the quality of life that local Queensland community enjoys. Tourism attracts transient population, which can have a negative effect on the social lives of the local residents. Dawson and Abbott (2011) gives examples of those negative effects, including prostitution, congestion, increased crime levels and drugs and alcohol. Cawley & Gillmor (2008) adds that tourism sometimes leads to infringement of human rights, when locals are displaced from their lands to allow new hotels to be constructed. Discussion From the above analysis, it is clear that tourism plays a significant role in the economy and social life of residents of Queensland. It is, however, important to ask oneself if tourism comes at a cost. From a general point of view, tourism has positive effects on host communities. However, there are negative effects associated with tourism and locals have to be more cautious. For tourism to have positive impacts, it has to be managed carefully and the interests of Queensland local community taken into account (Aref & Gill, 2009). Uncontrolled tourism may have detrimental effects on the environment and social life of the local residents. Tourism is an extremely important industry because it is one of the largest generators of employment. Services within the tourism industry range from catering, accommodation, travel and sustenance of culture and traditions (Aref & Gill, 2009). Tourism is also aimed at preserving nature and maintaining the handicraft industry. In Queensland, tourism has various effects on the economic and social aspects of the residents’ life. Economic benefits are the major benefits for Queensland. Tourism industry provides opportunities for job creation and generation of revenues. The locals who reside in areas around tourist destinations in Queensland have better education. In addition, there are more job opportunities. Job creation happens directly within tourism industry itself, and indirectly in sectors, such as transportation and retail. In addition to Queensland local levels, tourism also has positive economic impacts at regional, national and international levels. Tourism however has negative economic impacts in Queensland. To make tourism successful, basic infrastructure, such as hotels and roads have to be established. The cost of establishing the infrastructure lies on the government. The economic impacts of tourism therefore have to be taken into consideration when planning for tourism development activities. The social impacts of tourism are not as obvious as economic impacts. When making evaluations on tourism development in Queensland, social impacts have to be taken into consideration. Social impacts can be used to determine tourism development benefits and costs to the community. Rights of people to live in their ancestral lands and lands they have acquired through other means have to be respected. Finally, people have a common perception that the more tourism develops in a region, the better. Before making future decisions on tourism in Queensland, it is important to consider its positives and negatives. It is imperative, therefore, to have a balanced approach to future tourism developments in Queensland. Tourism should be utilized as a local community’s resource. Furthermore, tourism should be used by locals to capitalize on the opportunities it offers. The approach used when making future tourism decisions should be more targeted and specific. A targeted and specific approach will play a critical role in selecting the type of visitors to target and amount. Conclusion Tourism has various social and economic impacts on the local residents of a region. In Queensland, local residents generally perceive tourism as a positive thing, but some differ on the kind of influence it has on their social lives. Tourism is a great source of education and job opportunities; therefore, it is a significant industry. Small industries also thrive by operating within tourism industry. There are, however, negative impacts of tourism, such as expenses the government has to undergo to develop proper infrastructure and facilities. In addition, the social impacts of tourism are not given enough attention although they contribute a lot in the evaluations of development of tourism. While tourism may improve the quality of lives for local residents in Queensland, it may also erode some of their values through demonstration effect. References Aref, F., & Gill, S. S. (2009). Rural tourism development through rural cooperatives. Nature and Science, 7(10), 68-73. Cawley, M., & Gillmor, D. A. (2008). Integrated rural tourism:: Concepts and Practice. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(2), 316-337. Dawson, M., and Abbott, J. (2011). Hospitality culture and climate: A proposed model for retaining employees and creating competitive advantage. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 12(4), 289-304. Farsani, N.T., Coelho, C., and Costa, C. (2011). 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Economicz significance of tourism in Queensland. Annals of Tourism Research, 20(3), 490-504. Read More