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Impact of Tourism on Goa's Culture

Tourism significantly impacts less economically developed countries, offering exploration and cultural experiences but also threatening local values and environments. In Goa, India, tourism surged post-1986 with the rise of package holidays, leading to both economic growth and environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of traditional industries. While tourism creates jobs and boosts local businesses, it often benefits multinational corporations more than local communities, resulting in cultural loss and increased crime.

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28 views2 pages

Impact of Tourism on Goa's Culture

Tourism significantly impacts less economically developed countries, offering exploration and cultural experiences but also threatening local values and environments. In Goa, India, tourism surged post-1986 with the rise of package holidays, leading to both economic growth and environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of traditional industries. While tourism creates jobs and boosts local businesses, it often benefits multinational corporations more than local communities, resulting in cultural loss and increased crime.

Uploaded by

sude.bayraktar
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

WL_TOURISM

Tourism is an important, in this large number of countries. In particular, less economically


developed ones. Why do tourists want to travel?

Often it's about exploration and discovery, adventure, the yearning to discover places of
natural and cultural significance, or great beauty, the desire to encounter a new way of life.

The irony is that often it is these precious values which become threatened when an area
opens up to tourism. We're going to have a look at a case study today of Goa in India and see
how tourism has changed and shaped that area for the good and for the bad. As for the
number of visitors, until 1986 tourism was quite limited here. The type of people who
frequented Goa were hippies and backpackers. Like these fellows here, a very wealthy tourist
from overseas and Indian tourists.

The annual total reached about, uh, 500,000 about half of those from overseas. They would
stay in family homes and locally run hostels, not very luxurious, but which gave visitors a more
cultural experience and because they were all locally run, their money would be injected into
the local economy. Since 1986 there's been a huge boom in tourism in Goa, principally with
the arrival of package holidays. There was a demand for a new sort of accommodation, three
in four star hotels with pools and gardens.

Tourism spread from the small fishing villages and started to sprawl along the coastline. Since
1987 the region started to see action groups protesting against the growth of tourism. There
were protests at the airport, people with banners saying tourists go home and throwing cow
dung. These had little effect. The growth of tourism continued. Communication routes
improved, airports, railways, roads and these opened up areas to the north and south, invading
further into the natural environment. Large multinational chain hotels opened up and these
of course take money out of the country rather than giving it to local people. Obviously some
money reaches the local people. There are more jobs available in the big hotels, reducing
unemployment and raising wages and standards of living. And then local people open up small
businesses of their own, shops, bars, restaurants, boutiques, construction businesses and so
on. But at the same time a lot of the profit just disappears, especially as more and more of
these hotels offer all inclusive package deals that include accommodation, full board,
excursions, transportation, spars, the lot. The tourists need never leave their resorts. The
traditional industries of fishing and agriculture fell into decline. There was large-scale
deforestation and valuable farmland was lost too. Some locals claim they have been forced off
their land.

Obviously, where the natural environment has been built up, this means there are huge
pressures on natural resources. Mangrove swamps are removed and replaced by hotels. Do
you know what mangroves are? They are trees with long twisting roots that grow in the salty
coastal waters, partly underwater. These mangrove swamps are really important for reducing
coastal flooding, so their removal is really damaging. The disposal of rubbish and sewage is
also an issue and much of it is dumped at sea, destroying the marine ecosystem.

There is also a loss of traditional values as young Indians are influenced by Western ways.
Festivals become westernized, tourists choose to lose their cultural significance. Crime is on
the increase where tourists are threatened, assaulted and robbed by members of the local
population. So, as you can see, there is no stopping the inevitable tide of tourism that is
sweeping through more and more corners of the world.

And although there are a number of advantages to tourism, you can clearly see that there are
severe negative implications too.

Common questions

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The growth of tourism has significantly altered Goa's natural landscape, transforming it from quaint fishing villages to bustling tourist hubs. The expansion of infrastructure has resulted in the large-scale deforestation of native forestland, loss of fertile farmland, and the removal of ecologically important mangrove swamps. These changes lead to habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and increased ecological vulnerability. Urban sprawl along the coastline also affects the natural aesthetic and ecological balance of the region .

Tourism infrastructure, such as hotels and transportation networks, exerts significant pressure on Goa's natural resources. As areas are developed for tourism, natural habitats are destroyed, leading to deforestation and the loss of biodiversity. The case of mangroves being replaced by hotels illustrates this, affecting coastal stability and enhancing flood risk. Waste disposal is another issue, with untreated sewage often dumped into the sea, polluting marine environments .

Action groups in Goa have tried to raise awareness and protest against the negative impacts of tourism, such as environmental degradation and cultural erosion. Despite their efforts, which have included protests at airports and public spaces, the impact has been minimal due to the continued expansion of tourism. These groups highlight critical issues but face challenges in effecting substantial change against entrenched economic interests in tourism .

The tourism boom in Goa has led to a mix of positive and negative social implications for the local population. On one hand, it created employment opportunities and improved standards of living through jobs in hotels and tourism-related businesses. On the other hand, tourism has contributed to an increase in crime, including threats, assaults, and robberies against tourists. Additionally, there is a noted loss of traditional values as younger generations adopt Western ways, altering local customs and traditions .

The development of tourism in Goa led to the decline of traditional industries such as fishing and agriculture. With the rise of tourism infrastructure like hotels replacing natural environments such as mangrove swamps and farmland, these traditional sectors saw a reduction in activity due to loss of space and resources. Many locals moved away from these industries as tourism offered new employment opportunities, contributing to the decline of these industries .

Replacing mangrove swamps with hotel developments has significant ecological consequences, including increased vulnerability to coastal flooding. Mangroves serve a crucial role in coastal protection by reducing the impact of storm surges and flooding. Their removal not only harms the local ecosystem but also decreases natural flood defenses, leading to potential environmental and human disasters .

Long-term economic benefits of tourism in Goa include job creation and increased revenue from tourism-related businesses, which can uplift local economies. However, drawbacks include economic leakage due to the dominance of foreign-owned businesses, which results in much of the generated wealth leaving the local area. Furthermore, a heavy reliance on tourism can make the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in tourist numbers due to global economic conditions or natural disasters .

Tourism can result in a loss of traditional values due to the exposure of local residents, particularly youths, to foreign cultures and lifestyles. As tourism brings in diverse influences, local customs and traditions may be altered or abandoned in favor of more modern and western practices that are seen as more attractive or profitable. This cultural shift can be observed in the westernization of festivals and the lifestyle choices of younger generations .

Tourism has influenced the westernization of festivals in Goa, leading to a dilution or loss of their cultural significance. As tourists arrive, they bring western influences which change the traditional practices and presentations of local festivals, altering them to meet tourist expectations rather than maintaining their original cultural values .

Package holidays often result in economic leakage, where much of the revenue generated by tourism is not retained within the local economy. Tourists tend to spend their time and money within the confines of hotels offering all-inclusive deals, which means local businesses such as shops, bars, and restaurants receive less income. Moreover, large multinational chains that provide these package holidays remit profits out of the country, contributing little to local economic growth .

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