Some people think that cultural traditions will be destroyed when they are used as money-making machines aimed at tourists. Others believe it is the only way to save such traditions in the world today. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

Traditional cultural symbols are increasingly being used to boost local

tourism

. Some people support

this

move as they believe that their local cultures can be perpetuated in

this

way;

however

, other people argue that making money from cultural traditions will eventually destroy their indigenous

culture

. In my opinion,

culture

based

tourism

protects rather than destroy traditional cultures and values. Integrating traditional cultural aspects with local

tourism

provides greater exposure to these cultures. To be specific, by showcasing indigenous activities, handcrafts and artworks in front of international travellers, local residents are actually putting their own cultures under the spotlight of the whole world.

This

will help spread their

culture

all over the world and more and more people will be interested in visiting those holiday destinations which are famous for the exotic cultural experiences they provide.

This

will not only boost local

culture

and traditions, but

also

help local artists and artisan earn a better livelihood.

For example

,

this

is a great way to promote local art and dance forms that may be losing popularity among the native audience.

On the other hand

, over exploitation of cultural traditions for the sake of

tourism

may inevitably cause issues. If the local

culture

is coarsely adapted to suit the purpose of

tourism

, the tourist experience is compromised and

this

may actually show the

culture

in a bad light.

For example

, when I was travelling in Yunnan Province in the Southwest China, I took part in a cultural experience tour so as to know more about the local

culture

.

However

, the tour was poorly designed and all participants were made to buy local handicrafts. It left a negative impression on me and I will not recommend

this

place to any of my friends.

In other words

, for many destinations, the merging / amalgamation of

culture

and

tourism

is doing more harm than good. In conclusion, there is no harm in using

culture

to promote

tourism

. It not only enhances the reputation of the country, but

also

provides a livelihood to local artists.

However

, it is essential to do

this

in an aesthetic manner so that the effect is not counterproductive.