Analyzing Tourism Investment's Social and Environmental Effects

Verified

Added on  2022/09/03

|72
|20757
|16
Report
AI Summary
This report analyzes the social and environmental impacts of increasing investments in the tourism industry in Mauritius. The study employs a pragmatic research philosophy, descriptive research design, deductive research approach, and qualitative data analysis based on interviews with local residents. The findings reveal that while tourism investments have boosted the economy, they have negatively affected the environment through deforestation, ecosystem disruption, and air pollution. Moreover, the local society faces cultural commodification and a loss of traditional values. The researcher recommends sustainable tourism practices, limiting tourist numbers, reducing tourism activities near sensitive areas, and curbing deforestation. The report covers background, literature review, research methodology, findings, and conclusions, providing a comprehensive understanding of tourism's multifaceted effects.
Document Page
Running head: INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
A STUDY TO ANALYZE THE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CAUSED
BY INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN MAURITIUS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:
tabler-icon-diamond-filled.svg

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Document Page
1INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to analyze the social and environmental impact caused by increasing
investments in the tourism industry in Mauritius. The researcher for the attainment of this end
had taken the help of pragmatic research philosophy, descriptive research design, deductive
research approach, primary data collection method (interviewed 5 local residents of Mauritius)
and qualitative data analysis method. The results of the study indicate that although the
increasing amount of investments that the tourism industry of Mauritius had received in the
recent years positively impacted its economy however the same cannot be said regarding its
society and environment. For instance, the condition of the environment had deteriorated,
increased amount of deforestation is being undertaken for the construction of five-star hotels,
resorts and others, natural ecosystem of the nation is getting disrupted because of the increasing
amount of water sports, forest tourism activities and others, the air quality had deteriorated
because of increasing amount of pollution and others. On the other hand, the society of the
concerned nation had also been adversely affected since the culture of the nation had undergone
commodification to cater to the needs of the tourists, the common people are losing touch with
the cultural values, beliefs, ideologies, traditions and others that had dominated the nation and its
people since the traditional times, they are being forced to embrace the language and the culture
of the tourists and others. Thus, the researcher on the basis of the results of the study
recommends measures like usage of the framework of sustainable tourism or responsible
tourism, restricting the number of tourists who visit the nation, reducing tourism activities near
the water bodies and the forests, reducing deforestation and others
Document Page
2INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would firstly like to thank my Professor, Mr. ………., for offering me the opportunity to
complete my research on the topic “A Study to analyze the social and environmental impact
caused by increasing investments in the tourism industry in Mauritius”. Furthermore, I would
also like to thank my Supervisor for helping me during each of the stages of the study.
Lastly, I would also like to thank my friends and family members for the constant support and
help offered by them.
Thank You
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of the Researcher)
Document Page
3INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................7
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................7
1.2 Background of the Study.......................................................................................................7
1.3 Tourism Industry of Mauritius...............................................................................................8
1.4 Problem Statement.................................................................................................................9
1.5 Research Aim.......................................................................................................................10
1.6 Research Objectives.............................................................................................................11
1.7 Research Questions..............................................................................................................11
1.8 Rationale of the Study.........................................................................................................11
1.9 Significance of the Study.....................................................................................................12
1.10 Structure of the Study........................................................................................................13
1.11 Summary............................................................................................................................14
Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................15
2.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................15
2.2 Tourism Industry and Investments......................................................................................15
2.3 Factors which have contributed towards increased investments in the tourism industry....18
2.3.1 Industry Growth Rate...................................................................................................18
2.3.2 Government and its Policies.........................................................................................19
2.3.3 Infrastructure and Tourist Attractions..........................................................................21
tabler-icon-diamond-filled.svg

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Document Page
4INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
2.3.4 Hospitality Industry and other associated industries....................................................22
2.4 Impact of increased investments in the tourism industry....................................................23
2.4.1 Economic Impact..........................................................................................................23
2.4.2 Environmental Impact..................................................................................................25
2.4.3 Social Impact................................................................................................................27
2.5 Concept of Sustainability.....................................................................................................28
2.6 Sustainability and Tourism..................................................................................................30
2.7 Literature Gap......................................................................................................................30
2.8 Summary..............................................................................................................................31
Chapter 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.................................................................................32
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................32
3.2 Research philosophy............................................................................................................32
3.2.1 Justification for the selection of the Pragmatic Research Philosophy..........................33
3.3 Research Design..................................................................................................................33
3.3.1 Justification for the selection of the Descriptive Research Design..............................34
3.4 Research Approach..............................................................................................................34
3.4.1 Justification for the selection of the Deductive Research Approach............................35
3.5 Data Collection Method.......................................................................................................35
3.5.1 Justification for the selection of the Primary Data Collection Method........................35
3.6 Data Analysis Method.........................................................................................................36
Document Page
5INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
3.6.1 Justification for the selection of the Qualitative Data Analysis Method......................36
3.7 Ethical Considerations.........................................................................................................37
3.8 Research Limitations...........................................................................................................37
3.9 Summary..............................................................................................................................38
Chapter 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.................................................................................39
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................39
4.2 Interview Transcripts...........................................................................................................39
4.2.1 Interview 1....................................................................................................................39
4.2.2. Interview 2...................................................................................................................41
4.2.3 Interview 3....................................................................................................................43
4.2.4 Interview 4....................................................................................................................45
4.2.5 Interview 5....................................................................................................................46
4.3 Discussion of the Findings...................................................................................................48
4.4 Summary..............................................................................................................................56
Chapter 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................57
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................57
5.2 Linking with Objectives......................................................................................................58
5.3 Recommendations................................................................................................................60
5.4 Future Scope........................................................................................................................61
References......................................................................................................................................62
Document Page
6INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
Appendix 1: Interview Questions..................................................................................................71
tabler-icon-diamond-filled.svg

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Document Page
7INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
This chapter highlights the research aim, research questions, research objectives, problem
statement and other important aspects on the basis of which the entire study had been conducted.
Furthermore, the researcher had also outlined the structure that had been followed for the
completion of the study along with the significance of the study as well.
1.2 Background of the Study
According to the report of Wttc.org (2020), the global tourism industry in the year 2018
generated annual revenue of more than $8.9 trillion with a growth rate of around 4.9% while
offering employment to more than 319 million people from all over the world. Dabeedooal et al.
(2019) are of the viewpoint that the profitability earned by the global tourism industry accounts
for more than 11.9% of the total GDP of the world and the resultant effect of this is that the
tourism industry had become the backbone of the national economy of the different nations of
the world. More importantly, because of the economic benefits offered by a well-developed
tourism industry towards the national economy it is seen that the different nations of the world
like Mauritius are trying to facilitated the development of tourism industry for undertaking the
growth as well as the development of their national economy (Pirthee, 2017). Furthermore, along
with the initiatives undertaken by the national government of these nations in collaboration with
their tourism board it is seen that these nations had been able to attract numerous investments in
the present times which in turn had substantially enhanced the scope of their tourism industry
along with the services offered by them to the tourists (Bingemer, Grimme and Maertens, 2019).
However, at the same time it had been seen that although these investments had offered
Document Page
8INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
numerous economic benefits to the nations yet they have also adversely affected the environment
and the society of the concerned nations as well (Solarin, 2018). It is in this particular backdrop
that the researcher intends to conduct the research.
1.3 Tourism Industry of Mauritius
Bingemer, Grimme and Maertens (2019) are of the viewpoint that the tourism industry is
one of the most important pillars of the national economy of the nation of Mauritius and it also
had facilitated the growth or the development of the other industries of the concerned nation like
hospitality, transportation, entertainment and others. As per the official statistics offered by
Statsmauritius.govmu.org (2020), the concerned nation experience an increase of 2.5% in the
total number of tourist footfall received by it in the year 2019 from 2018 and the number of
tourists that the concerned nation received in the year 2019 was more than 1,450,000 in
comparison to 1.38,000 tourists attracted by it in the year 2018. In addition to this, revenue
generated by the tourism industry of Mauritius for the year 2019 was more than Rs 66.0 billion
which in turn showed a growth rate of 4.5% in comparison to the previous year (Wttc.org, 2020).
In this relation, it needs to be said that revenue growth rate of the tourism industry of Mauritius
is higher in comparison to the tourism industries of the some of the developed nations of the
world like France, Germany, Italy and others (Seetanah and Fauzel, 2019). More importantly, the
tourism industry of Mauritius presently offers employment to more than 49,000 workers of the
concerned nation which in turn had substantially contributed towards the reduction of the
unemployment rate of the concerned nation (Statsmauritius.govmu.org, 2020).
According to Makoondlall-Chadee, Bokhoree and Sumputh (2017), an important factor
which had promulgated the growth of the tourism industry of Mauritius is the different initiatives
undertaken by the tourism board of the concerned nation in collaboration with its national
Document Page
9INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
government along with the various investments within the concerned industry that Mauritius had
received in the recent years. These initiatives as well as investments had substantially enhanced
the number of five start restaurants, hotels, entertainment services, transportation services,
tourism services and others which are available to the tourists within the concerned nation. In
addition to these, the natural as well as picturesque beauty of some of the most important tourist
destinations of Mauritius like Port Louis, Grand Baie, Black River Gorges National Park, Flic En
Flac Beach and others along with the different water sports, gliding, skiing and other activities
that the tourists have the opportunity to indulge in the concerned nation had substantially
contributed towards the increased tourist footfalls that the nation is receiving presently (Tourism-
mauritius.mu, 2020). It is the conglomeration of all these factors that had made Mauritius one of
the most preferred tourist destinations of the world.
1.4 Problem Statement
In the particular context of Mauritius it is seen that the national government of the
concerned nation in collaboration with its tourism board had take the help of different
development projects for improving the infrastructure of the nation, its transportation system and
others which in turn would positively affect the tourism industry of the concerned nation
(Naidoo, Pearce and Sharpley, 2017). Furthermore, Mauritius because of its natural beauty as
well as its different tourism designations which are world famous had also been able to
numerous investments in the recent times for the establishment of hotels, resorts, restaurants,
entertainment corporations, tourism corporations and others which in turn had substantially
improved the quality of the services that are being offered by the tourism industry of the
concerned nation (Gowreesunkar, Hugues and Zaman, 2019). These investments along with the
different investments that the tourism industry of Mauritius had been able to attract had
tabler-icon-diamond-filled.svg

Paraphrase This Document

Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Document Page
10INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
positively affected the growth as well as the profitability of the tourism industry of the concerned
nation.
However, at the same time it is seen that they have adversely affected the environment
and also the society of the concerned nation as well. For instance, they have substantially
enhanced the environmental waste generated by the tourism industry, the pollution caused by it,
fast depletion of the natural resources, degradation of the coral reef, increased pressure on the
natural ecosystem and others (Carlsen and Jaufeerally, 2017). In addition to these, it had also
been seen that the different hotels, resorts, restaurants and others have been constructed through
deforestation which in turn had adversely affected the environment of the under discussion here
(Mahadew and Appadoo, 2019). On the other hand, Mauritius in the present times had faced
issues related to community development like the displacement of the local people for the
construction of hotels, restaurants and others, the hybridization of the national culture of
Mauritius on the score of the increasing tourist footfalls that the concerned nation is receiving
and others (Solarin, 2018). Thus, it can be said that on the one hand the increased investments
that Mauritius had received within its tourism industry had facilitated the economic growth of the
concerned nation and on the other hand it had adversely affected the environment and the society
as well as the culture of the nation as well.
1.5 Research Aim
The aim of this study is to analyze the social and environmental impact caused by
increasing investments in the tourism industry in Mauritius.
Document Page
11INCREASING INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM AND ITS EFFECTS
1.6 Research Objectives
1. To analyze the environmental impacts due to high investment trends in the tourism
industry in Mauritius
2. To understand the perceptions of the local residents towards the negative impact on
society due to high tourism investment in Mauritius
3. To investigate the initiatives towards involving in the sustainable tourism development in
Mauritius
4. To provide measurable solution that can promote better way to deal with the situation
faced by Mauritius
1.7 Research Questions
1. What are the environmental impacts due to high investment trends in the tourism industry
in Mauritius?
2. What are the perceptions of the local residents towards the negative impact on society
due to high tourism investment in Mauritius?
3. What are the initiatives towards involving in the sustainable tourism development in
Mauritius?
4. Which can be the measurable solution that can promote better way to deal with the
situation faced by Mauritius?
1.8 Rationale of the Study
The issue that had been selected by the researcher for analysis in this study is the social
and the environmental impact of the increasing investments that the tourism industry of
Mauritius is receiving presently. This is an important issue since the increasing amount of
investments that the tourism industry had been receiving for quiet sometime now had given rise
chevron_up_icon
1 out of 72
circle_padding
hide_on_mobile
zoom_out_icon
[object Object]