There are numerous social consequences of tourism. For example, the rate of crime reduced as a result of tourism. It is estimated that crime was caused by idle youths who had no jobs. The scenario changed after the emergence of tourism because most young people had tourism related jobs such as tour guides and drivers. Before tourism gained steam, the rate of crime was at an all-time high. It should be noted that crime was widespread with minimal security intervention. The rationale of security intervention was to create a favorable environment for the growth and development of tourism. The new structures developed went a long way in terms of changing the landscape. The need for improving the security of the region was based on attracting more tourists in the region (Coleman, 2002).
A sustainable tourism destination is described as a region which can handle tourism with the current state of resources. For example, the infrastructural development of the region is considered as the main element which determines the ability of handling tourism without overstretching resources. When resources are stretched, the ecosystem is deemed as unable to handle tourist activities. As a manager, I would embark on boosting infrastructure and human resource in order to make the region sustainable.
The Hells Gate in Kenya is a tourist destination striving to enhance sustainability. This comes after the terrain of the attraction site was announced as dangerous for visitors. Since then, the management has been working tooth and nail to change this perception. The efforts applied in changing the course of things are realistic considering that safety measures have been incorporated. The main aim is to see more tourists coming along.
Community based tourism has become common in recent times. This is because the latter has had numerous benefits to the community at large. The introduction of community based tourism was a great milestone in the industry considering that in the past tourism was not community based. The incorporation of community based tourism into mainstream tourism was a step in the right direction that saw the community receive immense benefits (Wearing, 2001).
The economic benefit of this form of tourism was creating employment and increasing the income of people in general. In terms of the social benefits, thanks to community based tourism, the community was integrated into a single unit. This was different before community based tourism took route. Lastly, the environmental benefits of community based tourism was maintaining the ecosystem.
Cultural heritage tourism can be defined as a form of tourism which is aimed at showcasing the cultural patterns of a given community or group of people. I come from Kenya where the Maasai community has long been an attraction for many people around the world. Most of the tourists who land in Kenya take time to watch and interact with Maasai community. During this time, they learn about their lifestyle and way of expression.
This trend has been on course for the last couple of years and seems to be gaining momentum among tourists (Wearing, 2001). The main elements in this form of tourism is regalia and traditional food. The mentioned elements have been used by the community to tell the world about their story. In this regard, the world learns about the Maasai community through interaction and relating with their environment. This is what makes cultural heritage in Kenya tick.
References
Coleman, S. (2002). Tourism: Between place and performance. New York: Berghahn Books.
Wearing, S. (2001). Volunteer tourism experiences that make a difference. Wallingford, Oxon: CABI.