International tourism has brought enormous benefit to many places. At the same time, there is concern about its impact on local inhabitants and the environment. Do the disadvantages of international tourism outweigh the advantages?

International

tourism

is a major industry in most

countries

in the world bringing many

benefits

to the host

country

. These

countries

rely heavily on

this

income

and will often overlook the negative impacts that

tourism

can have on the local population and on the natural environment. Even though

tourism

can have a negative impact on a

country

, I still believe that the

benefits

it provides clearly outweigh the drawbacks. The

tourism

industry provides a range of employment opportunities for many citizens, improving their overall well-being with increased

income

. Many developing

countries

like Vietnam and Thailand rely on

tourist

revenue to supply local jobs and services to the community.

This

income

, once earned, will benefit local people and their families which will, in turn, improve their overall lifestyle.

Tourism

revenue can

also

be used to improve the infrastructure with better roads and other facilities being built.

Countries

that have a large influx of

tourists

,

for example

, ensure that airports and roads are built to facilitate movement to

tourist

destinations

.

In addition

to these economic

benefits

,

tourism

most importantly promotes cross-cultural experiences where citizens broaden their horizons by meeting people from all over the world. It can be seen that international

tourism

results in many

benefits

for the host

country

.

However

, concerns have been raised by local communities and other governing bodies about the negative impact

tourists

have on

tourist

destinations

and the local environment. When a large number of

tourists

arrive at a destination, they are there to enjoy themselves and do not care what footprint they leave in the local area.

Tourists

litter the streets, beaches and waterways.

Furthermore

, they break rules and behave in a way that insults the native inhabitants. By flying or driving to

destinations

they

also

contribute to air pollution and global warming. In conclusion, though there are negative impacts of increased

tourist

numbers at many

destinations

, it cannot be denied that the extra

income

and improved infrastructure and employment rates benefit the

country

. We can curb poor

tourist

behaviour by introducing rules and local laws to encourage host

countries

to promote eco-

tourism

. International

tourism

is here to stay and clearly

benefits

a

country

’s economy.