Positive Impacts of Tourism — Part 3: Culture

Many travelers venture to other countries to immerse themselves in a culture that is intriguingly different to their own.

Sometimes we hear about how tourism is “ruining” the local cultures that we visit – exposing them to outside influences and making them less “authentic.” However, here at TropicsGourmet we don’t think that’s true. We see the positive impacts of tourism and the many beneficial effects it has on local culture.

Also see:
Positive Impacts of Tourism Series — Part 1: Environment

Positive Impacts of Tourism Series — Part 2: Economy

The Responsible Traveler’s Packing List

Here are some of the positive impacts of tourism on culture. 

Sharing and Celebrating Local Culture

From cooking classes to historic walking tours to traditional dance performances and more, tourism creates a demand for interactive experiences that allow the visitor to learn about the local culture.

When travelers choose these types of tours and activities, they support these traditions being kept alive and passed down from generation to generation. This interest keeps the ancient traditions vibrant and current and it also helps to build a better international understanding.

For example, take a look at this traditional cooking class in Chennai, India. It offers an opportunity to learn traditional South Indian recipes from the host, who learned them from her mother.  Travel experiences like these celebrate traditions (as well as supporting a local family!)

Preserving Historic Structures

Historic buildings and heritage sites are important physical representations of a nation’s culture. When these buildings become places of interest for tourists, this supports the need to keep them well-maintained and looked after.

For example, Italy gave away more than 100 historic buildings (towers, houses, castles, monasteries, old inns and more) across the country – for free.

The only catch was that those who took ownership had to commit to restoring and transforming the sites to tourist facilities. The interest in historic tourism in a place such as Italy means that these beautiful old buildings will be preserved and cared for, rather than knocked down.

The more people visit (and pay to see) historic buildings, the more resources there will be to maintain these buildings for the future.

Supporting Local Families

A tourist makes a decision to buy a hand-woven scarf in a local marketplace rather than a mass-produced souvenir in a shop. They decide to dine in a small, family-run restaurant rather than in an internationally owned chain. They choose to stay in a guesthouse operated by a local, rather than a branded hotel.

These decisions are made because the traveler wants to have a more authentic and culturally rich travel experience. But also, a result, it means more money goes directly to the local families in the area.

These cultural tourism activities create employment and lead to better overall infrastructure and living environment. For example, check out what Kayak 4 Conservation is doing in Indonesia. They have partnered with a network of locally owned guesthouses and have extended loans for maintenance and management to the families who own them.

(Of course, the key is to avoid commercialization and ensure that the locals actually are being supported by these experiences – rather than being exploited by a third party.)

Tourism Can be Great for Culture

In our modern world, which is often troubled by xenophobia, cultural tourism can be an incredibly powerful positive force. Experiencing the culture of somewhere different can be eye-opening and can inspire empathy and connection.

How do you embrace local culture when you travel? Let us know your stories on the positive impacts of tourism in the comments below.