Tourism in the Latin America has become a vital revenue source, mostly in Meso-America and the Andes. In this case, tourism looks at the culture of these Americans and also the physical aspect of the region. Many tourists go to the regions of Latin America for the purpose of cite-seeing or cultural interactions.
There has been a colossal contribution towards the economy from the sector of tourism. Tourism has contributed towards the population flow in the countries of this region like Brazil (Lumsdon and Swift, 2001).
Tourists move away from their home areas in search of cultures that appeal to them and also to interact with the native people. This cultural tourism occurs in close contact with the local society. Most of these countries are rich in culture. The citizens of Brazil, for instance, have a vast variety of food and a diverse social life.
This has increased number of tourists visiting the area. Due to this influx of tourists, there is an urgent need for a suitable strategy that will address their needs. In the Latin American regions, it is not only the culture of its inhabitants that attract tourists but also the entertainment and the sporting activities of the region (Gui, 2001). The Latin America is made up of many countries that have a desirable geographical value and culture.
Such countries as Brazil and Ecuador have a lot to offer the outside world. This paper looks at the impacts of trade on the environment and the culture of Salvador. In order to understand this aspect of tourism, both local and foreign tourism are brought into focus. This case study will consider culture as the main tourist attraction in Bahia.
Tourism has greatly impacted the region in several ways. For instance, Bahia was visited by over two million tourists in the year 1993. Statistics shows that this number is expected to rise to four million visitors, leaving Bahia to be the second largest tourist attraction spot after Rio de Janeiro.
Research shows that “the government invested more than twenty million dollars in the sector for the year 1993 and 1994” (Stonich, 2001). During this time, Brazil was in the forty seventh rank of attraction centers internationally. This gives Salvador hope for improved tourist activity in time to come.
According to Stonich (2001), many Latin American countries have also experienced a similar growth in their tourism industry. Apart from Bahia, tourism is seen as the means of rehabilitating the prime ancient districts. These ancient centers have been found to appeal greatly to the foreign tourists.
The architectural designs of the region are the most notable of the all the other attractions. In other nations like Salvador, rehabilitation has brought about the issue of depopulation of the areas (Lumsdon and Swift, 2001). These areas were inhabited by the poor in the urban centers who finally ended up in the slum areas. In most cases, tourism is reckoned to be the means of improving the poor regions from the economic perspective.
For many Third World nations, “an admired architectural heritage and culture are considered as an economic treasure and asset” (Gui, 2001). Tourism has had a large impact on the economy of many countries (Stonich, 2001). The impact of tourism on the economy of many Latin American nations is major. Tourism is the main foreign exchange earner that plays a fundamental role in the development of these nations.
Works Cited
Gui, Santana. Tourism in South America. New York: Haworth Hospitality Press, 2001. Print.
Lumsdon, Les, & Jonathan Swift. Tourism in Latin America. Cengage Learning, 2001. Print.
Stonich, Susan. The Other Side of Paradise: Tourism, Conservation, and Development in the Bay Islands. New York: Cognizant Communication Corp, 2000. Print.