Introduction
Tourism is a significant concept in the global economy, creating numerous jobs and revenue. Tourism and society have a complex and multifaceted relationship, with both parties having positive and negative effects on one another. The primary objective of this essay is to explore tourism sociology, which involves examining the roles, motivations, relationships, and impacts of tourism on tourists and society.
The relationship between tourism and society is explored by examining relevant sociological theories and their interconnections. They include the social exchange theory, where “exchange” refers to trading something of value for something that is needed. This is witnessed in tourism, where tourists exchange money for services and access the destination. Social learning theory encompasses the modeling and imitation of behaviors by others, as demonstrated by tourists seeking to learn about new cultures.
The second aim is to illustrate sociological perspectives on tourism and society. This includes the functionalist perspective, where family values, knowledge, culture, and education communicate young people’s values. The conflict perspective illustrates how society comprises groups with distinct interests. This perspective depicts society as composed of groups with distinct interests, as shown by tourists in various ways in which they interact with people, learning different things that interest them.
Studying the relationship between tourism and society is crucial for the current and future development of this industry. This is because the people, places, and processes involved in tourism are facing key issues arising from political changes, new forms of tourism, emerging technologies, and shifts in traditional tourism practices. However, tourism in places with limited resources can put pressure on natural resources, leading to a poor relationship between tourism and these areas. This pollution affects the processes surrounding the destinations and the people living in the vicinity.
Tourism Development and Life Cycle
Tourism can be defined as the movement of people out of their usual environment in pursuit of recreation, pleasure, and or professional purposes. Tourism’s relationship with society arises when tourism contributes to the cultural and social changes of host societies (Gálvez et al., 2017). Statistics on international tourists indicate that the tourism industry has experienced significant growth from 1950 to 2019 (International tourist arrivals worldwide, 1950-2021, 2022).
However, in 2020, the number decreased substantially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it increased by 5.8%, implying the industry’s optimistic future growth (International tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2021, 2022). The tourism sector develops in line with demand, which can be explained by the tourism life cycle. Butler’s tourism life cycle indicates that all tourist destinations initially grow at a low level and continue to expand until they decline (Kruczek et al., 2018). It has six stages: exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation, and rejuvenation from stagnation.
First, explorations involve identifying unique areas with features such as landscape, culture, natural beauty, or history. Such places usually do not offer any tourist services. Second, involvement marks the onset of tourism in the area as locals and investors begin to create businesses such as transportation, accommodation, and food services (Kruczek et al., 2018).
Third, the development stage is where planning and building increase significantly. In this stage, the local population is outnumbered by the tourists visiting the area (Mi, Zhao, and Ding, 2020). Companies begin creating hotels and other services that promote tourism. Fourth, consolidation occurs when the local economy is dominated by tourism, and most incomes are generated from the tourism sector.
Fifth, stagnation is realized after the resort has improved its infrastructure, encouraging more tourists to visit the place. Other alternatives join the industry, posing competition to the existing ones, which causes rowdiness and a loss of the original features. For example, resorts with beaches can become crowded and unsafe, which can scare away tourists. Lastly, the final stage is the decline or rejuvenation of tourist centers (Zagonari, 2019). At this stage, the center has the potential to either redevelop or fail. Stakeholders’ actions and plans will determine whether the center succeeds or fails.
Some destinations that welcome tourism include Antigua and Barbuda. In Antigua, approximately 90% of employment is derived from travel and tourism (Edward et al., 2020). In Antigua and Barbuda, tourism stakeholders are developing a new tourism action program that focuses on private sector tourism and government initiatives for tourism sustainability (Antigua & Barbuda Tourism, 2022). The plan will seek to establish community-based cultural programs, develop a suitable tourism strategy, map cultural heritage sites in the Twin-island nation, and ensure its long-term viability as a place to live and work.
Impacts of Tourism on Society
Tourism impacts society in various ways, categorized into environmental, social, economic, and political. First, environmental impact focuses on the relationship between tourism and the environment. Factors such as cultural stereotypes, natural resources, and the prices associated with them are considered to determine the impact of tourism on the environment. It has positively impacted the environment through factors such as the creation of national parks and protected areas, where unique flora and fauna can be found (Zhao & Min Li, 2018).
Tourism has a high multiplier effect, leading to increased consumption of goods and services. However, it has resulted in direct adverse effects, such as altering the structure of flora and fauna (Dey et al., 2018). Furthermore, it leads to the reduction of beach pollution, traffic congestion, and depletion of natural resources, which in turn affects the net-zero pollution policy.
Second, tourism impacts society across various social dimensions, including tradition and culture. Through direct interaction, hosts learn from each other. People develop mutual sympathy and reduce their prejudices (Karim, 2017). The facilities have been developed, but locals benefit from tourism, as it improves their living conditions.
However, tourism has also negatively impacted social factors through globalization, which undermines the social identity, indigenous values, traditions, and lifestyles of host communities (Elorrieta, Schwitzguébel, and Delgado, 2022). Additionally, there is high traffic congestion at artificial and natural attractions. Furthermore, investors invade local areas and purchase land, transforming fishing and farming communities into tourist resorts.
Third, tourism’s economic impact helps generate wealth and jobs for the people around. Meanwhile, the benefits and costs associated with tourism activities should be analyzed from three perspectives: tourists, the local community, and authorized tourists who pay cash to enjoy the services offered. In contrast, the local community benefits financially as authorities reap the profits (Gurova, 2019).
Tourism helps create jobs in peripheral regions and contributes to balancing payments and revenues through taxes (Bate & Taylor, 2019). It also facilitates foreign exchange and infrastructure development. Tourism contributes to the multiplier effect by encouraging growth not only in the tertiary sector but also in the primary and secondary sectors of the economy.
This indicates that the revenues spent by tourists circulate through a country’s economy, resulting in the economic benefits of tourism being multiplied. Nevertheless, tourism has adverse effects on the economy. The local community faces the hidden costs left behind by tourists. The jobs generated by tourism are mainly low-income due to wealth leakage and are mostly seasonal, with almost no opportunities for promotion.
Lastly, political impacts are witnessed significantly in tourism. The governments of developed countries where tourists visit demand pleasant conditions for them. Positive political impacts on tourism include the government providing security and safety in destinations, maintaining law and order, and demonstrating political willpower to establish necessary infrastructures, all of which ensure a steady flow of income.
However, negative political impacts include political instability and conflict in destination areas, as well as terrorism in parts of the globe, which reduces the chance of developing tourism (Grala, Pokharel, and Poudel, 2018). An unstable government cannot maintain law and order for its citizens, and the same applies to tourists.
Tourist Behavior and Typologies
Several factors influence tourists’ behavior, including geographical factors, social factors, place of origin, tourism destination, and educational background. These factors determine a tourist’s decision to visit a particular place. For example, highly educated tourists tend to have a wider choice of places to visit. Tourists prefer conducive areas with social amenities and good infrastructure (Maghrifani, Li, and Liu, 2019).
Tourist behaviors have significantly shifted how they book travel, learn about tourist destinations, evaluate them, and purchase travel-related gear. Consumer expectations, formed through word of mouth, information derived from advertisements, and tourists’ past experiences and previous satisfaction levels, continue to grow. These challenges require society and tourist destinations to improve their services to meet consumers’ expectations.
In most businesses, some tourist destinations follow an uncontrolled development pattern from birth, maturity, and old age, and declining designations change the market segments or the audience reduces in number to a shrinking group of travelers. Similarly, natural disasters, different health warnings, and terrorist attacks may cause tourism sites to fail.
During the harsh winter, tourism sites that fail include the Wawoma tree in Yosemite National Park, California. The tree toppled to the ground, damaging the soil due to heavy snow. West Pier, Brighton, UK. West Pier declined due to a lack of finances, later due to a storm and fire in a suspected act of arson (Collapse & Fire, 2022). The Hippodrome Theatre in New York City fell into the trap of high maintenance costs despite passing through the hands of numerous owners. Vidámpark, Budapest Park began experiencing a decline in tourists, which led to financial difficulties and ultimately resulted in its forced closure.
Tourist typologies are essential because they help predict future trends in tourism, inform marketers’ decisions on product development, enhance our understanding of consumer behavior in tourism, and form the basis of market segmentation techniques (Ceylan et al., 2020). Tourists have different motivations for visiting a destination, which can be classified as either intrinsic or extrinsic factors.
Intrinsic factors, such as personal characteristics, social status, development, and physical attributes, motivate tourists internally. Similarly, extrinsic motivation stems from external factors, such as financial rewards and the desire to feel competent on a personal scale. Tourism can help highlight the importance of bridging cultural gaps and fostering a deeper understanding of the values of cultural diversity. It can help develop relationships based on mutual understanding and prevent miscommunication.
Conclusion
In conclusion, tourism and society are closely intertwined, with each influencing the other. This industry has been growing significantly, but has experienced a decline in growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Development is based on demand, which can be explained by the six-stage tourism life cycle. Tourism has both negative and positive impacts on the society that tourists visit. First, the environmental impact is based on the relationship between tourism and the environment. It becomes a favorable factor for the environment when national parks and other protected areas are designated to conserve natural habitats. Its negative effects come when tourists promote congestion, pollution, and the depletion of natural resources.
Second, the social perspective of tourism enables tourists and locals to learn from each other, resulting in improved living conditions. Globalization brings negativity, which promotes the invasion and deterioration of indigenous values. Fourth, a positive economic impact results from the financial benefits of tourists, which support economic development. Lastly, the political influence is evident in the pleasant conditions created by governments to promote tourism.
Various factors affect tourists’ behavior and determine whether a tourist will visit a given area or not. Consumers’ expectations are growing significantly because of advertisements, past experiences, and previous satisfaction levels. This impacts the chance of tourists visiting a given destination in the future.
Typologies are critical in determining whether a tourist will visit an attraction site in the future. The future of travel depends on the current management of tourism, and implementing strategic measures will help realize sustainability in the tourism sector. Traveling in the future is expected to rise, considering that the pandemic that led to its decline is currently being managed.
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