These days it is much easier for many people to travel to different countries for tourism than in the past. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

In the

last

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few

decades

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decades,

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there has been a significant increase in the number of opportunities for international travel, with more transport routes and cheaper fares. There are undoubtedly benefits flowing from

this

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growth in international tourism. People now have a greater awareness of other cultures than was the case even one generation ago. Travelling widely to enjoy

such

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things as the art, customs and cuisine of different countries used to be the preserve of the wealthy classes. Now even the less well-off have access to them. There are,

however

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, drawbacks associated with

this

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level of mobility.

Firstly

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, a number of resorts, even whole countries, have so many

tourists

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that the culture and environment are severely damaged.

For example

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, traditional crafts are replaced by the manufacturing of cheap trinkets and local singing and dancing are packaged for tourist consumption. Because

tourists

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stay for only a short time they often don't care if they behave badly or litter the streets.

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,

although

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the hospitality industry does bring employment, it tends to be precarious because much of it is seasonal, with long periods of the year offering no work. The income from tourism is unevenly distributed, with a small number of big businesses (e.g. property developers) making a lot of money but the majority of people

working

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work

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for low wages as waiters or guides. Related to

this

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is the fact that money spent by

tourists

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is seldom retained by the local economy:

profits

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and profits

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are frequently taken out by multinational corporations.

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, international travel adds to greenhouse gases, leading to harmful climate change. In my view, despite the advantages of travel to both

tourists

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and host countries, these do not compensate for the damage inflicted on the environment, social structures and individuals by mass tourism.