TOPIC GUIDE: Tourism
"Tourism benefits the world"
PUBLISHED: 01 Jan 2007
AUTHOR: James Gledhill
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INTRODUCTION
Tourism has traditionally been a way of escaping the cares of the world, but mounting fears about the impact of mass tourism mean that tourists are now encouraged not to leave their consciences at home. A debate about whether mass tourism is exploitative [Ref: BBC News] has been going on for some time, leading to the rise of related ideas like ethical (dead link), [Ref: Association of Independent Tour Operators] or eco tourism [Ref: Global Development Research Centre]. However, recently the focus has switched from whether we should travel more responsibly to whether we should actually travel less. The increase in cheap flights is a particular focus of controversy. The Bishop of London has argued that it’s selfish and sinful to contribute to climate change by flying on holiday, and that we should ‘walk more lightly upon the earth’ [Ref: Times Online]. Even the editors of backpackers’ bibles Lonely Planet and Rough Guide have sought to discourage ‘casual flying’ [Ref: Guardian]. Carbon offsetting [Ref: Wikipedia] services, which seek to cancel out the carbon dioxide produced by flying, are increasingly popular. Gap years have also come in for criticism, with warnings that they may do more harm than good [Ref: Guardian]. There has, however, been a backlash against the war on tourism, with renewed arguments for the economic and social benefits tourism brings. Critics detect snobbery against mass tourism, moral posturing and hypocrisy, with people bemoaning the effects of tourism while continuing to take full advantage of its many benefits. They ask on what basis people claim a right to tell others how to enjoy themselves. The overall impact of tourism therefore needs to be reassessed, and the question remains: is the holiday over for mass tourism?
DEBATE IN CONTEXT
This section provides a summary of the key issues in the debate, set in the context of recent discussions and the competing positions that have been adopted.
Is mass tourism exploitative?
From the time that the father of mass tourism, Thomas Cook, organised the world’s first package tour in 1841, tourism has been more than the preserve of a privileged few. The post-war expansion of air travel kick started the era of international mass travel, which today, with the increase in cheap flights, includes many more short breaks alongside annual summer holidays. But tourism has many critics who accuse it of three main forms of exploitation: economic, environmental and cultural. There is disagreement about whether ethical tourism provides the answer, and it has its critics on both sides of the debate. On the for side there are those who argue all tourism is beneficial and that we shouldn’t make moralising distinctions between different types of holiday. On the against side, some people question whether ‘ethical’ tourism is ever really possible. The debate is increasingly framed in terms of whether global tourism levels should be reduced.
Do the economic benefits outweigh the costs?
Tourism is the world’s largest industry and the only source of rapid development for many small developing countries. However, it’s criticised for the way in which most of the money goes to companies abroad rather than local people. One side points to the benefits from employment and associated opportunities for small family businesses like cafes and handicrafts, while the other points to the large areas of land that are bought up by foreign companies, creating resorts which exclude local people and which tourists seldom leave.
Does tourism damage or improve the environment?
Environmentalists argue flying is the fastest growing cause of climate change, although it is currently responsible for only three percent of greenhouse gas emissions. There are calls for a tax on aviation fuel to discourage flying. Budget airlines are a focus of criticism, but they argue that they are more efficient than other carriers. The debate over the effect on the environment of tourist destinations sets benefits like the creation of national parks, restoration of monuments and improved infrastructure against damage to coral reefs, pressure on water resources and the effects of golf courses and resorts on people and the landscape.
Does tourism undermine indigenous cultures or break down barriers?
Our pursuit of the exotic, some say, is turning other cultures into consumer goods. Even independent travel is not immune from criticism, as it brings package tourists in its wake. Sex tourism is seen as indicative of rampant exploitation. Counter arguments say tourism promotes cultural understanding, even supposedly superficial package holidays. Trying to protect indigenous cultures, it’s argued, denies them the benefits of development, treating them as museum pieces to be admired rather than active cultures to be engaged with.
Should we travel less?
There are few voices making a positive case for travel. Previously, travel was associated with the way social progress afforded free time for individual leisure and even self-improvement. Travel was held to ‘broaden the mind’ and being ‘well travelled’ commanded respect. Now many people present a negative view: we’re ‘addicted to oil’ and our disruptive restlessness undermines community life and threatens the planet. While some commentators argue that ‘flying kills’ [Ref: Guardian] and would welcome travel once again becoming an ‘expensive luxury [Ref: Guardian], others argue that we shouldn’t lose sight of the remarkable opportunities travel affords us and that we should actually work to ensure that these can enjoyed by more of the people of the world.
ESSENTIAL READING
It is crucial for debaters to have read the articles in this section, which provide essential information and arguments for and against the debate motion. Students will be expected to have additional evidence and examples derived from independent research, but they can expect to be criticised if they lack a basic familiarity with the issues raised in the essential reading.
International Commercial Surrogacy in India: Exploitation, Poverty, Alternatives and Survival
Mamata Nanda Huffington Post 3 October 2013
Does Reproductive Tourism Treat Women Like Cattle?
Dr. Raywat Deonandan Huffington Post 29 October 2012
Tamara Audi and Arlene Chang Wall Street Journal 10 December 2010
India, the Rent-a-Womb Capital of the World
Amana Fontanella-Khan Slate 23 August 2010
NHS restrictions prompt fertility tourism boom
Sarah Boseley Guardian 30 June 2009
Binoculars or beer: a tale of two tourists
Justin Francis vs Jeremy Skidmore The Times 19 November 2005
Feel-good travel: cheap flights: a force for good?
Simon Calder vs Mark Lynas Independent on Sunday 19 June 2005
Local v global: Do we need to travel so much?
Jonathan Meades vs Peter Smith The Future Cities Project 27 February 2003
FOR
Airbnb Airbnb 5 December 2018
Peter Jon Lindberg Peter Jon Lindberg 3 September 2018
Jim Butcher Spiked 22 August 2018
Lilit Marcus CNN 19 July 2017
Dear ‘Citizens of nowhere’ you are not alone
James Shackell The Journal 18 January 2017
In defense of the three-week vacation
Jynne Dilling New York Times 9 June 2016
India’s surrogate baby circus overlooks a vital part of the equation: The mother
Amindita Majumdar Daily Mail India 15 July 2013
Increasing concerns about surrogacy
University of Huddersfield 17 January 2013
Kamayani B Mahabal Tehelka 8 June 2011
Outsourcing Pregnancy: Just Another Job?
Jennifer Lahl The Centre for Bioethics and Culture Network 20 January 2011
Let us celebrate the freedom of flight
James Panton spiked 16 August 2007
Hot air? I want the cold facts
Anatole Kaletsky, Stelios Haji-Ioannou and Micheal O'Leary The Times 10 June 2006
Brendan O’Neill Guardian Comment is Free 19 May 2006
Keith Jowett and Roger Wiltshire Guardian 3 March 2006
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 2 February 2004
The misery behind the baby trade
Daily Mail
AGAINST
When climate change is the reality, our grandchildren will look back in horror at how we travel
Greg Dickinson The Telegraph 30 August 2018
Residents in tourism hotspots have had enough. So what’s the answer?
Elle Hunt The Guardian 9 July 2018
I don’t mean to ruin your holiday, but Europe hates tourists – and with good reason
Suzanne Moore The Guardian 16 August 2017
In Berlin, a Grass-Roots Fight Against Gentrification as Rents Soar
Charly Wilder New York Times 18 March 2017
Megan Barber Curbed 10 November 2016
Kyle Chayka The Verge 3 August 2016
Six reasons why mass tourism is unsustainable
Anna Pollock The Guardian 23 August 2013
Kendal Youngblood Culture Wars 27 June 2013
The Real Deal on India’s Gestational Surrogates
Global IVF 25 May 2013
Mina Chang Harvard International Review 6 July 2009
Uday Mahurkar India Today 13 September 2007
Eco-tourism: A sustainable trade?
James Mair BBC News The Green Room 14 December 2006
This fear may at last rid us of the curse of hyper-mobility
Simon Jenkins Guardian 16 August 2006
Nicholas Crane Daily Telegraph 29 July 2006
For the sake of the world’s poor, we must keep the wealthy at home
George Monbiot Guardian 28 February 2006
The Oxford Student 22 November 2001
Hemlata Aithan Oman Tribune
IN DEPTH
A timeline of overtourism: key moments in the global battle between locals and travellers
Greg Dickinson The Telegraph 5 May 2019
How Berlin is fighting back against growing anti-tourist feeling in the city
Oliver Stallwood The Guardian 4 December 2018
Venice locals tear down turnstiles amid fury after they are segregated from tourists
Julia Buckley Independent 29 April 2018
Living Next Door to Tourism in Berlin
Various DW 22 November 2017
First Venice and Barcelona: now anti-tourism marches spread across Europe
Will Coldwell The Guardian 10 August 2017
Here’s exactly what Airbnb does to rent in popular cities
Jim Edwards Business Insider 20 October 2016
How have our travel habits changed over the past 50 years?
Colin Pooley The Conversation 21 October 2015
Surrogate motherhood: a critical perspective
Olga van den Akker Expert Reviews 2010
Raekha Prasad Guardian 30 July 2008
Foreign couples turn to India for surrogate mothers
Amelia Gentleman New York Times 4 March 2008
Jim Butcher spiked 11 August 2005
Hypermobility: too much of a good thing
John Adams PIU Transport Seminar 13 November 2001
KEY TERMS
Definitions of key concepts that are crucial for understanding the topic. Students should be familiar with these terms and the different ways in which they are used and interpreted and should be prepared to explain their significance.
Adam Lusher Independent 8 June 2015
BACKGROUNDERS
Useful websites and materials that provide a good starting point for research.
Wikipedia 14 November 2018
Various authors Financial Times 8 October 2018
‘Overtourism’ Is driving europeans crazy
Jessica Loudis The Nation 12 September 2018
Your choice of holiday destination is a political act
Brendan Canavan The Independent 6 August 2018
Charlemagne The Economist 19 July 2018
The holiday destinations that are saving the planet
Oliver Smith The Telegraph 5 June 2018
Traveller vs tourist: The worst thing about being a travel snob
Ben Groundwater Stuff Magazine 22 May 2018
Tourism creates thorny ethical dilemmas: isn’t that the point?
Akshat Rathi Quartzy 12 April 2018
I did nothing all over the world
Kate Manser Medium 5 March 2018
In defence of the ‘tourist trail’
Jessica Lee Lonely Planet 18 February 2018
Does your holiday pass the human rights test?
Rebecca Seales BBC 7 February 2018
The ‘new’ Gap Year: Is it worth it, and what should I do during my year before university?
Flora Carr The Telegraph 16 August 2017
Ethical Tourism and travelling off the beaten path
Tobias Roberts HuffPost 6 July 2017
In Defense Of Chinese Tour Groups
Panpan Wang Huffington Post 2 May 2017
It’s time to wake up to the devastating impact flying has on the environment
Roger Tyers The Conversation 17 January 2017
No, tourism is not an act of ‘white privilege’
Jim Butcher Spiked 29 September 2016
HM Government 19 June 2013
Are test-tube babies at greater health risk
Cherrill Hicks Telegraph 10 February 2013
Prachi Bharadwaj MightyLaws.in 1 May 2011
BioNews 14 March 2011
Do We Confuse Surrogacy With Prostitution?
Paul Troop Practical Ethics 20 January 2011
Gina Maranto Biopolitical Times 6 December 2010
“Made In India” preview: East meets West in the womb
Nature 26 July 2010
Inside India’s Rent A Womb Business
Scott Carney Mother Jones March 2010
Is commercial surrogacy in India ethical?
Naomi Canton Hindustan Times 9 December 2009
More and more couples finding surrogates in India
Mike Celizic Today 20 February 2008
Surrogacy – Exploitation or Choice?
Cubically Challenged 2008
Stanford University 2008
The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill
PRS India 2008
‘A woman helping a woman! I love it!’
Sheela Bhatt Rediff India 1 November 2007
The slippery slope of winter sports
Carmen de Jong BBC News The Green Room 6 August 2007
Surrogate Mothers: Womb for Rent
Abigail Haworth Marie Claire 29 July 2007
International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking
Jacky Boivin, Laura Bunting, John A. Collins and Karl G. Nygren Oxford Journals 2 January 2007
Talking heads: responsible travel
Kate Humble, Ben Fogle and Alain de Botton The Times 10 June 2006
Cath Urquart The Times 8 January 2005
Travellers who strive to do no harm
Susan Llewelyn Leach Christian Science Monitor 22 December 2004
Sue Wheat peopleandplanet.net 6 September 2004
Tourism: the world’s blessing or curse?
Lisa Mastny and Steve Conklin Worldwatch Live Online Discussion 23 June 2003
Mass tourism: Is it exploitation?
BBC World Service Talking Point 9 August 2001
United Nations Environment Programme 1 January 2001
Our Planet February 1999
Dr Alka Sehgal wscpedia.org
Benefits and challenges of tourism
New Zealand Ministry of Tourism
Guardian
Mass tourism: environmental benefits and impacts
European Commission
BBC World Service
ORGANISATIONS
Links to organisations, campaign groups and official bodies who are referenced within the Topic Guide or which will be of use in providing additional research information.
IN THE NEWS
Relevant recent news stories from a variety of sources, which ensure students have an up to date awareness of the state of the debate.
Majority of residents in favour of tourists
Various Visit Reykjavik 5 November 2018
Almost half of UK holidaymakers want tourism tax – survey
Various ITV 4 November 2018
Airlines hit out at increases in UK passenger taxes
Josh Spero Financial Times 30 October 2018
Leading ethical tourism charity forced to close
Antonia Wilson The Guardian 28 September 2018
Will you soon have to pay a tourist tax to visit the Scottish Highlands?
Greg Dickinson The Telegraph 27 September 2018
How is overtourism impacting travel to popular destinations?
Johnny Jet Forbes 20 August 2018
Furious Spanish locals turn on rowdy tourists who leave DRUGS in playgrounds
Harriet Mallinson The Express 13 August 2018
Selfies and sweat stains: bad holidays and bored tourists – in pictures
Laurence Stephens The Guardian 31 July 2018
Airbnb Drives Up Rent Costs in Manhattan and Brooklyn, Report Says
Luis Ferré-Sadurní New York Times 3 May 2018
Venice locals tear down turnstiles amid fury after they are segregated from tourists because city is
Julia Buckley Independent 29 April 2018
The Netherlands isn’t as weed-friendly as it used to be
Natasha Bach Fortune 17 April 2018
The unstoppable rise of the Chinese traveller – where are they going and what does it mean for overt
Oliver Smith The Telegraph 11 April 2018
Cancún: from tourist beach paradise to hotbed of Mexico’s drug violence
David Agren The Guardian 14 March 2018
12 destinations travellers might want to avoid in 2018
Joe Minihane CNN 3 February 2018
Where to go on holiday in 2018 – the hotlist
Various The Guardian 6 January 2018
Tourists have turned Oxford into ‘hell’, locals claim
Natalie Paris The Telegraph 8 August 2017
‘Tourism kills neighbourhoods’: how do we save cities from the city break?
Elle Hunt The Guardian 4 August 2017
Stats: millennials 5x more well-traveled than their grandparents
Various Travel Agent Central 27 July 2017
Why Amsterdam’s coffeeshops are closing
Various The Economist 10 January 2017
Airbnb faces worldwide opposition. It plans a movement to rise up in its defence
Shane Hickey and Franki Cookney The Guardian 29 October 2016
High Line neighbours hate “High Line tourists”
Garth Johnston Gothamist 24 May 2016
Couple who had twins tell of regret after embryo aborted in surrogacy
Independent 13 January 2014
India seeks to regulate its booming ‘rent-a-womb’ industry
Reuters 30 September 2013
Surrogate children in India deprived of mother’s milk
Hindu 16 July 2013
New project aims to train surrogate mothers for a second career
Daily Mail 16 July 2013
Israeli sex offender taps India’s booming surrogacy trade for baby girl
Global Post 10 June 2013
Govt set to allow visas to singles too for surrogacy
Indian Express 28 May 2013
Wombs for rent: Indian surrogate mothers tell their tales
NDTV 25 February 2013
Times of India 21 January 2013
India bans foreign couples from surrogacy
Telegraph 18 January 2013
IVF couples forced to travel abroad by shortage of donors
Scotsman 30 June 2011
Foreign gay couples can’t have surrogate babies in India, says Home Ministry directive
India Today 25 April 2011
Young Bangalore girls donate their eggs for easy money
Times of India 27 January 2011
Russia Today 13 December 2010
Variations in IVF laws fuel market for ‘fertility tourism
New Zealand Herald 14 September 2010
No to pregnancy, yes to surrogacy for UK couples
Daily News Analysis 14 May 2010
Telegraph India 13 December 2009
Barcelona declares war on stag and hen party binge drinkers with ban on Happy Hour
Telegraph 15 October 2009
Experts attack ‘fertility tourism’ industry
Dr.Malpani's Blog 28 September 2009
India Becoming Commercial Surrogacy Centre
Medindia 1 January 2008
Protests continue as Heathrow camp disbands
Guardian 20 August 2007
Germans stay home for eco-holiday
BBC News 7 May 2007
Roads group slaps down bishop who called gas guzzler cars sinful
Guardian 24 July 2006
It’s a sin to fly, says church
The Sunday Times 23 July 2006
Boom in green holidays as ethical travel takes off
Guardian 17 July 2006
Are the benefits of tourism just skin deep?
Inter Press Service News Agency 11 July 2006
Euro MPs push for air fuel taxes
BBC News 4 July 2006
Soweto seeks its place in the sun
BBC News 19 June 2006
Concern over Antarctic tourists
BBC News 19 June 2006
Zambia beckons new wave of tourists
BBC News 13 June 2006
‘Mass tourism threat to Morocco’
Daily Telegraph 3 June 2006
Oops, we helped ruin the planet
Guardian 4 March 2006
A nation of careless travellers
Daily Telegraph 26 November 2005
Climate threat to holiday hot spots
Daily Telegraph 19 November 2005
Travel agent launches ‘guilt free’ holidays
Times Online 17 August 2005
Tourism revival key for Maldives
BBC News 7 February 2005
Mind the gap: why student year out may do more harm than good
Paul Brown Guardian 6 September 2003
BBC News 23 June 2001
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