Tourism has brought many benefits for tourist destinations. Tourism not only helps to generate jobs, but also boosts the economy. When tourists visit, they stay at hotels, eat at restaurants and use taxis. All of this increases revenue for business owners involved in these industries. This income, in turn, helps the local community to improve their standard of living. Furthermore, it has been found that tourism has played an important role in the restoration of historical monuments and the revival of several cultural heritages.
Tourists also benefit from visiting new cities and countries. When a tourist visits a different country, they learn about a new language and culture. They are also introduced to new cuisine and forms of dress. As a result, visitors are able to explore the new culture and broaden their thinking. Children who accompany their parents gain immeasurable benefits from exposure to a new culture. In addition, interacting with local residents helps to facilitate understanding between cultures. These are important benefits in a world that seems to be shrinking each day.
Despite the numerous advantages of tourism, one cannot afford to ignore the disadvantages. Opponents of tourism criticize the industry on the ground that it exposes local culture to outside influence and leads to the dilution of their culture. Moreover, with heavy tourist traffic, environmental damage and pollution to local regions is inevitable.