CHAPTER 06: TOURISM
Tourism is defined as the movement of
people from one place to another either for studies, pleasure, leisure or
business. The scope of tourism is regarded as social, cultural, political and
economic aspects or activities. There
are two main types of tourism:
(a)
Domestic tourism.
(b)
International tourism.
(a)
Domestic tourism: It is the type of tourism that involves the movement
of people from one place to another within a country. This can be from Mwanza to Lindi, or New York
to California as an example.
(b)
Interaction tourism: Is the type of tourism that refers to the movement
of people from one country to another country or one continent to another
continent. This can be from Tanzania to Kenya, Switzerland to Indonesia or
Africa to Europe, Australia to North America and so forth.
Factors Influencing the Development of
Tourism
These factors
can both be political, social, culture and economic factors. The following are
some of the factors that encourage the development of tourism in any country:
1. Present of Good climatic conditions: Good climatic conditions in a particular area
may influence for the development of tourism.
2. Availability of attractive scenery: The
presence of attractive landscapes or scenery also may influence for the
development of tourism in a particular country.
3. Presence of historical sites: Also
historical sites may attract tourists hence development of tourism in the
country. Example of historical site is Kondoa Irangi in Tanzania.
4. Presence of national parks: Availability
of national parks in the country also act as the factor for the development of
tourism because, national parks tend to influence and attract for the visit of
tourists in such area. Example of national park is Ngorongoro in Tanzania.
5. Availability of capital: Presence of
enough capital that can be used for investment in tourism industry also is the
factor that can influence for the development of tourism industry in the
country.
6. Political stability: Presence of
peace in the country may attract and influence tourists from different areas to
visit a particular country. Absence of civil wars, tribal wars, religion wars
and terrorism in the country may influence for the development of tourism.
7. Supportive government policy: If there
is government policy that encourages tourism development in the country, may
influence for the development 0f tourism in the particular country.
8. Advancement of transport and
communication: In addition, the availability of good transport and communication
in the country tend to encourage high number of tourists to inflow in the
country.
9. Presence of accommodation facilities: These
accommodations facilities like hotel, lodge and guest house are one among of
the factors that influence for development of tourism in any country. These
accommodations facilitate and ensure tourists to get places for leisure,
pleasure and rest to the touristic areas.
General Importance of Tourism in any
country in the World
Tourism industry
has some of the following importance in any country in the world:
(1) Tourism is the source of employment.
Tourism industry acts as the source of employment to the people in the country.
(2) Tourism is the source of foreign currencies.
Tourism industry acts as the source of foreign currencies in any country,
which are used by the go averment for exportation of products and raw
materials.
(3) It led to the improvement of infrastructure.
Tourism influence for the improvement transport system in the country.
(4) Tourism is important in facilitating the
improvement of social services. Sources services like hospitals, school are
improved due to the development of tourism industry, because all money earned
by the government can be invested in the provision of social services.
(5) It strengthens international relation among
the country. This is through movement of people or tourists from one
country to another hence, development of international relations among the
people of countries.
(6) It promote for the rapid improvement of
science and technology in the country. This is due to the interaction of
the people that provides chance for technological diffusion between the people
in the country and tourists.
(7) Tourism promoted for the development of
other economic sectors. Like agriculture, trade and exhibition.
(8) Tourism facilitate for the environmental
conservation. Nation parks, nation reserves, historical sites and other
sceneries that act as touristic attraction tend to be proper protected hence,
improvement of environmental conservation.
(9) Tourism acts as source of government revenue.
The governments in a particular country earn revenues in different way in the
tourism in industry.
Impacts of Tourism in any Country in the World
Tourism has
positive and negative impacts in the world (any country in the world). The
following are some of them:
Positive
Impacts of Tourism
In the side of
positive impacts of tourism, you can use those points from the importance of
tourism in any country in the world.
Negative
Impact of Tourism
The following are
some of the negative effects or disadvantage of tourism industry in any
country:
1. Tourism discourage for the development of
other economic activities, like mining, Lumbering.
2. Tourism leads to the destruction of culture.
For example, Most of Africa cultures are destructed by western culture due to
the high interaction of people that caused by tourism industry.
3. Tourism leads to the environmental
destruction and soil erosion. This is due to the frequent movement of cars
and people to the touristic areas.
4. Tourism influences the spread of diseases.
Tourisms may influence the spread of spread of dieses both sexual and
communicable diseases. Tourists may spread diseases both sexual transmitted
diseases (STDs) and other communicable disease like TB and Ebola. Example of
STD is HIV/AIDS.
5. Tourism cause to the overpopulation in an
area. Touristic area tends to be overpopulation because these areas attract
many people in touristic centers.
6. Running tourism industry, it is very
expensive. Tourism industry needs huge capital to be invested, hence may
cause to the decline of other economic sectors.
7. Facilitate to the increase of crime. This
is due to the moral decay and improper behavior caused by high number of people
around touristic and the use of illegal ways of getting money through robbery
and stealing visitors or tourists.
8. Cause for the moral decay to the indigenous.
This is due to the destruction of natives’ culture and adaptation or imitation
of risk behavior from to the visitors or tourists.
Ways to be used so as to solve the Negative
Impacts of Tourism
The following
are to the some of the solution to the negative impacts caused by tourism
industry:
(a) Visitors or
tourists must be taught the culture of the natives in order to avoid cultural
interference or destruction.
(b) Reducing the
number of visitors and natives in order to conserve the environment.
(c) There should
be the enforcement of laws and strong security to the touristic centers in
order to avoid crimes.
(d) The
government should enforce laws that may lead to the protection from spread of
diseases. For example, every tourist or visitors should be checked his or her
health condition to testify that she or he is not affected by any disease.
(e) Natives
should be given education to practice other economic activities instead of
depending on tourism industry as the source of income.
(f) The government
should not much invest on tourism industry rather than other economic sector
and social services.
Green Tourism or Eco-Tourism
Green or eco-tourism is defined as the integrated approach that involves
carrying out tourism activities with minimum negative impact on the natural
environmental. Green tourism improves the integration of tourism with ecology
(ecosystem).
Case Study: Tourism in Switzerland
Switzerland is
located at the central Europe. Areas mostly visited are the Swiss plateaus (of Lausanne,
Geneva, Bern, and Zurich), Lakeshores and Ticino Mountains with town like
Lucerne and Lugarno. Switzerland has the following factors that
favor the development of tourism:
(1) Good
geographical location: Switzerland is located at the centre of Europe;
hence, it becomes the Centre of tourism industry to all European Countries.
(2) Presence
of beautiful scenery: For example, the presence of Alps Mountains that
are found in Alps ranges is the factor that attracts tourism in Switzerland.
Plains also are the factor for tourism attraction.
(3) Presence
of favorable climate: The general climate of Switzerland is cold snowy
winters and warm sunny summer’s sports such as skiing and ice skating as well
as Swimming and Sunbathing acts as pulling factors.
(4) Presence
of Good transport infrastructure: Like railways, Roads, harbors and
Airports are the reason for development of tourism.
(5) Presence
of Accommodation: Availability of accommodation like, Hotel, lodges,
cottage camping site and guesthouse are the factors that influence tourism
development in this country.
(6) Political
stability in the country: Also, this factor support for the development
of tourism in Switzerland.
(7) Hospitality:
The Swiss people are hospitable and the personnel handling tourists are well
trained and efficiency.
(8) The
country is the Centre of international meeting: Many towns in
Switzerland are used to host international convection like Geneva, Bern and
Zurich. People attending these convections also take time off to tour the
country.
Significance
or Importance of Tourism in Switzerland:
1.
Act as source of employment.
2.
Source of foreign currencies
3.
Improves international relations.
4.
Source of Government Revenue.
5.
Facilitate for the environmental conservation.
6.
Facilitate the development of science and technology.
Problems
Facing Tourism in Switzerland:
1.
During winter there are heavy block movement on roads,
railways and Runways.
2.
Heavy competition from other countries like U.S.A is
Switzerland facing.
3.
Environmental pollution because some of tourists throw
litter on the environment.
4.
Faced with landslides, avalanches those are very
dangerous to the tourists.
5.
Tourism industry in Switzerland is faced with heavy
competition from other sectors like manufacturing industry among others.
Case Study: Tourism in Namibia
Namibia is
located in South Africa; its climate is desert because it is mostly covered by
Namibia desert and Kalahari Desert. Major touristic attractions in Namibia
include; The Cape cross, Seal reserve, and national parks. Factors favoring the development
of tourism in Namibia are:
1. Improved infrastructures: This is the
reason behind for tourism development in Namibia.
2. Strong tourism policy: Policy that
encourage for the development of Tourism in Namibia.
3. Presence of touristic attraction:
Like National parks, plateaus among others.
4. Great advertisement done by the
government and private sectors: Is the way among others that support for
development of tourism in Namibia.
5. Regional Co-operation: Namibia is the
member of SADC hence through the Regional Tourism Organization of the Southern
African Countries (RETOSA) Namibia is getting advantage for the growth of
tourism.
Importance
of Tourism in Namibia:
1.
It is the source of revenue to the government.
2.
Enable Namibia to improve social services.
3.
Namibia somehow solved the problem of mass unemployment.
4.
Facilitated for development of international relation.
5.
Encouraged for the environmental protect in Namibia.
6.
Ensured for the development of gross production(GDP) in
the country
7.
Namibia is earning more foreign currencies from tourism
industry.
Problems
or Challenges Facing Tourism Industry in Namibia:
(1)
High competition from agricultural sector; because the
government of Namibia is over emphasizing on agricultural production.
(2)
High competition in the market from other African
countries; especially from South Africa and Botswana.
(3)
Poor implementation of tourism policy. The government
is none effectively implementing on the tourism policy.
(4)
Lack of skilled personnel over tourism management.
(5)
Poor investment in touristic sector industry.
Government and Private sectors are not more investing in tourism like in other
sectors.
Case Study: Tourism Industry in Tanzania
Tanzania is the
country that found in African continent, is among of the East Africa countries
that involving in tourism industry. Tanzania is the one of the leading country
in tourism attractions, which has a lot of National parks, National games and
beautiful sceneries.
Tourism
attraction in Tanzania are; National parks like Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Mikumi,
and National games like Selous and beautiful sceneries like rivers, lakes,
beaches, Mountains and forests.
Factors
Favoring Tourism Development in Tanzania
Tanzania has
different factors that favor for the development of tourism, some of them are:
1. Peace and harmony. Tanzania is the
peaceful country that has no political instability. Tanzania has no civil war,
religion war, tribe wars that may be seemed as the limiting factor for the
tourists to come in Tanzania. This is the factor for tourism development in the
country.
2.
Hospitality
of the people of Tanzania. Tanzanians
have high degree of hospitality as well as the personnel that serving to the
tourism industry have high degree of hospitality, hence this is the reason that
makes for the development of tourism in the country.
3.
Government
support. The Tanzania government
do support for the development of tourism in the country both through investment
and advertisement.
4.
Presence
of tourism attractions. The
presence of tourism attraction in the country in one way or another facilitates
for the development of tourism industry in Tanzania. Tourism attractions are
like National parks and games, Mountains, beaches, lake, River to mention by a
few.
5.
Conducive
climate. Good climatic condition
in the country, also in the factor for the development of tourism in Tanzania. Tanzania
is found to the area of Tropic of Capricorn that favor for the tourism development.
6.
Availability
of capital. The availability of
capital for the government to invest in tourism industry also is the reason for
the development of tourism in the country.
7.
Presence
of historical sites. Presence of
historical site like Bagamoyo ruins and Oldvai George and other archeological
sites like Ismila in Iringa are examples that favor Tanzania to be the leading
country in East African in tourism sector.
Problem
Facing Tourism Industry in Tanzania
There are
challenges that hinder tourism industry to be developed. The following are some
of the problems that facing tourism industry in Tanzania:
1. Shortage of capital. Inadequate of capital to be invested in the tourism industry
is the problem that challenging the sector of tourism in the country.
2. Poor transport and communication. The system of infrastructures and
communication are not well improved hence lead to the challenges in the
development of tourism in the country.
3. Poor marketing. This is due to the poor advertisement and promotion of
Tanzanian tourism in the world’s touristic market, hence Tanzania not much
known on having many tourism attractions in the country.
4. Poor tourism policies. The policies of tourism in the country are not well developed
and implement, hence said to be the problem on tourism development in the
country.
5. Crimes.
Presence of crimes around touristy areas is the problem that facing
Tanzania in the sector of tourism. Crimes like robbery, theft and sometime
attacks in the tourism camps are the challenging issues which discourage the
coming of tourists in the country.
6. Increase of population. There is a high population around the tourism centers, which
lead to the destruction of tourism attractions also is the challenge that
facing tourism industry in Tanzania.
7. Competition from other economic sectors. Tourism industry in Tanzania is
facing high competition from other sector like agriculture, mining, among
others; hence many personnel are employed in such sectors, leaving the sector
of tourism with no skilled labors.
8. Competition
from other countries. Tanzania
is facing competition from other country like Kenya, Uganda, and Congo
mentioning by few, hence lead to the low number of tourists in the country.
Ways to
be used in Increasing Income from Tourism Industry in Tanzania:
1.
Marketing and publicity, through making advertisement
2.
Promotion of domestic tourism by influencing internal
tourism.
3.
Expansion of tourism attractions.
4.
Provision of tourism education to all stakeholders.
5.
Presence of security by preventing crimes in tourism
areas and camps.
6.
Improvement of infrastructure and communication network.
7.
Establishment of package tourism.
How
to Promote Tourism in Tanzania?
1.
There should be an improvement of transport and
communication services.
2.
There should be an improvement of accommodation
network.
3.
Improvement of both the domestic and international
tourism marketing.
4.
There should be well-trained personnel in Tourism
sector.
5.
There should be identification of new tourism
attractions that are not known.
6.
There should be protection of tourism attractions from
destruction.
7. There
should be well-developed policies of tourism industry that have to be
implemented effectively.
TRIAL QUESTIONS
1. Define the following concepts:
a) Tourism
b) Eco-tourism (green tourism)
c) Honey-pots
d) Tourist
2. Mention at least:
a) Eight games reserves in Tanzania
b) Seven nation games in Tanzania
3. Outline the factors that encourage
the development of tourism in any country.
4. Tourism has grown fast now days,
give three reasons in short.
5. What is the importance tourism in
any country?
6. Show the negative effects of tourism
in Tanzania.
7. Show the importance of eco-tourism
to the local community in Tanzania.
8. Why should the local people be
involved in tourism activities?
9. Outline the problems facing tourism
in East Africa.
10. Identify the negative effects of
population growth on the tourist industry.
11. How does tourism differ from other
industries?
12. How can Tanzania improve its
tourism industry?
13. “Tourism in Tanzania has a bright
future. Why?
14.
Draw a map of Tanzania to show the location of the game reserves and
national parks.
15. Mention the tourism attraction
(honey-port) in Tanzania.
16. How can the conflict in the nation
park be solved?
17. (a) Name three tourism centers in:
i.
Tanzania
ii.
Switzerland
iii.
Namibia
(b) Draw a map of Tanzania and show some
of the tourism attractions.
18. Explain five ways to address the
negative impacts of tourism in Tanzania.
19. Briefly give any five factors that contribute
to the growth and development of the tourism industry in Switzerland.
20. What problems are facing the
tourism industry in Tanzania?
21. Suggest any five ways:
a) To increase tourism income in Tanzania
b) To promote tourism in Tanzania
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