Understanding the socio-cultural impact of tourism and travel

Running head: Tourism and Travel 1

Tourism and Travel 2
Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Concepts and Theories.....................................................................................................................3
Social Exchange Theory..............................................................................................................4
Social Disruption Theory.............................................................................................................4
Social Carrying Capacity Theory................................................................................................5
Butler’s Model of Tourism..........................................................................................................6
Discussion........................................................................................................................................8
The socio-cultural impact of tourism...........................................................................................8
Understanding of socio-cultural perspective of tourism through a framework.........................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................14

Tourism and Travel 3
Introduction
Tourism industry and the business of tourism are criticised for their dual aspect and the uneven
distribution of the associated merits and demerits upon the host destinations. Evaluating the
tourism effects for determining the sustainable ways of growth and development for the positive
implications for both the guest as well as the host nations is a major challenge for the tourism
sector. A vast data and literature also highlights the key role played by tourism in the socio-
cultural and socio-economic development of several nations. In present time, tourism is regarded
as the socio-economic and socio-cultural giant at the international as well as the domestic level.
Today tourism is not an aspect but an entire industry which regulates the social, cultural and
economic conditions of the regions1. On the other hand, the literature also throws lights upon the
negative implications upon the society, culture and the environment of various tourist
destinations. Numbers of host countries and regions have their dependency upon tourism
business as the key tool and driver for economic development2. Thus, it is still vague and unclear
that tourism has more positive or more negative implications if judged from the perspective of
social and cultural impacts. It is a set perception that global tourism can offer a faster and rapid
path for converting the societies from traditional to modern form. Numerous studies explain that
the tourist destinations take these changes and modifications in a more optimistic manner in
regards with economic affluence and modernisation. Though, the integration of cultures of two
diverse international cultures develops the change practices overtime, primarily in the Eastern
regions where the change or the process of modernisation is Western in orientation. The studies
explain and have their key focus upon the merits and demerits of tourism sector but nobody have
concerned focus from social and cultural perspective3.
Previous researches and studies undertaken on the perception and attitude towards the cultural
and social impacts of tourism recognize several associations. There are several factors that have
a direct influence on the perceptions of the societies and the residents towards the tourism
business4. These can be divided into few major categories that comprises of socio-economic and
1 Bâc Dorin, P. "The impacts of tourism on society." The Annals of the University of Oradea. 2012, pp.500.
2 Lew, Alan A., C. Michael Hall, and Allan M. Williams, eds. A companion to tourism. John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
3 Smith, Melanie K. Issues in cultural tourism studies. Routledge, 2009.
4 Bochner, Stephen, ed. Cultures in contact: Studies in cross-cultural interaction. Vol. 1. Elsevier, 2013.

Tourism and Travel 4
demographic factors, personal factors, cultural factors and the factors that have a relation with
tourism sector5. The cultural factors comprise of the aspects such as the domestic culture and the
religion followed in the societies; the personal factors comprises of the aspects such as the
mental health state, socialisation process and family background; the socio-economic and
demographic factors comprise of aspects such as place of residence, income level, educational
level, occupational situation, gender and age and the other factors includes economic
dependence6. The socio-cultural perspective in relation with the tourism industry is somehow not
conclusive as from the global perspective there are several views and literature that are in
contrast with each other and this leads to unclear statement. The paper will help in attaining an
in-depth understanding of the tourism business and tourism industry from the social and cultural
perspective with the help of several discursions on the basis of peer-reviewed literature and
research work. The paper will also support the analysis by the means of theoretical frameworks,
concepts and theories that have a direct relevance with the subject of the study. The study will
provide discussion and analysis by keeping its primary focus upon the socio-economic and
socio-cultural factors for understanding the merits, demerits and role of tourism. The report will
sum up with a thorough conclusion based upon the research and analysis performed in the report.
Concepts and Theories
Understanding tourism from social and cultural perspectives can be more theoretical and relevant
if performed by taking use of the already well-established and recognized concepts, models and
theories. The following section will provide knowledge of tourism through some of the known
theories such as Social Exchange Theory, Social Disruption Theory, Social Carrying Capacity
Theory and Butler’s Model of Tourism. All these theories and model will help in framing a
sound base for the discussion part regarding the social and cultural perspective of tourism. The
notion of the researchers and authors behind the formulations and development of these theories
is to offer an analysis of the impact of tourism business and tourism industry in context with the
host countries or tourist destinations.
5 Apostolopoulos, Yiorgos, Stella Leivadi, and Andrew Yiannakis, eds. The sociology of tourism: theoretical and
empirical investigations. Vol. 1. Routledge, 2013.
6 Deery, Margaret, Leo Jago, and Liz Fredline. "Rethinking social impacts of tourism research: A new research
agenda." Tourism Management 33.1 (2012): 64-73.