Tourism is one of the main drivers of the world economy and it also happens to be a major industry. When it comes to the question of traveling to a certain location, it depends more on the country in question than anything else. If a war had broken out in a particular zone or if there happened to be sudden health scare then visitors would naturally want to avoid that zone. But apart from certain challenging circumstances which can impair it, tourism often helps to boost the local economy, help create job opportunities that can even result in positive PR for the country. But tourism including adventure tourism, like nearly everything else, comes with its own positive and negative effects, read on to know more.
Positive impact of adventure tourism:
Local economy: Adventure tourism along with general tourism often jumps start the local economy. It often leads to the creation of more jobs, helps create specialized services to cater to this sector, and even result in other industries being created on account of tourist interest, e.g. mountaineering classes for beginners in French Alps. It should be pointed out that more tourists are opting for the adventure package rather than the regular package, which has naturally resulted in more bookings.
Environmentally friendly: As a result of the interest shown in adventure sports and given the consumer awareness of environmental issues, more companies have started focusing on creating environmentally friendly tourist packages, with a focus on renewable energies. As a result, more companies have started to focus more on training and helping the locals to sustain their natural environment better. From helping them combat water shortages to educating tourists not to litter, these tourist companies are doing all they can to help preserve the pristine region.
Entrepreneurship: Adventure sports are a nascent industry compared to regular tourism; nevertheless it is already having a positive impact on the economy. Since it is a niche, it requires specialized services and as a result, several entrepreneurs have started to cash in on the interest being shown in adventure tourism, and this, in turn, has helped to create several jobs.
Negative impact of adventure tourism:
Unforeseen events: unforeseen events can take place anywhere, more so on the mountains than anywhere else. But the point is that if a destination is solely dependent on tourism as its main source of revenue, even a single unfortunate event can send the whole city reeling. That’s why it is important for cities and towns to have multiple sources of revenue rather than depend solely on tourism.
Environmental impact: Over tourism to a select destination can lead to environmental degradation; as hundreds of thousands of tourists head off to a single destination to take part in adventure sports, they are bound to litter along the way. Even if you calculate the base rate as 1kg of litter per day per person, the resulting total of ten thousand tourists will send you screaming to the hills. That’s what most governments face, and this is exactly why it was decided to cap the number of tourists visiting any particular zone and to charge them a small fine for littering the area as well.
Cultural education: Most travelers who opt for adventure sports do so to try their hand at adventure sports. But when you are traveling overseas, it is important to ensure that you have a rough idea of all the local customs and traditions so that you do not step on anyone’s shoes. It Is vital that you take effective measures to avoid insulting others faith or mocking the same when you are visiting their country otherwise you’ll find out that you are in for a real adventure.
These are some of the positive and negative effects of adventure tourism; always remember to book your trip well in advance to avoid any last-minute rush and more importantly, you get t0 head to the destination and let the hair down in more ways than one. Here’s a free tip, when traveling overseas, you may want to try Airbnb first as that should help cut down the overall cost of board and lodging. Tourism is an essential part of our economy and adventure tourism is fast becoming the trendy vacation you had always wanted.
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