The growth of tourism has brought about negative and positive changes. For both the negative and positive impacts, it affects Manila in five different ways: Politically, economically, environmentally, social-culturally and technologically.
Positive Impacts
Foremost, the most positively impacted area of the city by the growth of tourism will be economic. Due to the growth of tourism, there will be increased tourist arrivals and receipts, which mean more tourist revenue, can be earned. When there is revenue, the country will be benefited politically and technologically, in the sense that the government will now be more strongly funded to be able to develop advanced technology centres like Research and Development centres. Tourism growth and a politically established country help to build bilateral agreements with other countries too.
With funds and with technology, new infrastructures can be constructed. This will increase the standard of living of the people. Tourism growth helps to generate employment opportunities as well. When locals are being employed, some of the jobs will require them to take up certain additional lessons to upgrade their skills. In this way, tourism growth can ensure that the locals are more educated. Tourism growth also helps to globalise the city as locals get to meet foreign colleagues. This increases the interpersonal communication skills of the locals.
Negative Impacts
The major impact of tourism growth will be culture and environment, clearly evident in Manila where the evidence of past grandeur may be seen in old colonial houses that are now threatened by the encroachment of modern concrete buildings. Their sad decaying look, failed to obscure features once marking an era's resplendence. The reconstruction of infrastructures also causes noise and air pollution, damaging to the environment.
Tourism impacts the people socio-culturally as well. The reconstruction of certain land causes the displacement of certain indigenous tribes. In Manila for example, the indigenous tribe in Northern Quezon was forced to move out of the forest for survival due to environmental changes and industrial developments.
Also, because the indigenous people are the masters of life in tropical rainforests, some of them were employed by the US army during their occupation in the country to teach their soldiers how to survive in the jungle. Kalibo, their once inhabited island, showcases their existence and cultural practices in the world-famous Ati-atihan Festival.
Culture loss can be caused by the growth in tourism. Relating back to the indigenous group Negritos, due to to the influence of the lowlanders, most of them who have been in contact with them have adopted the casual clothing which is T-shirts, pants and rubber sandals.
Thursday, December 9, 2010, 10:00 PM