Introduction to Tourism

Introduction to Tourism

• Tourism encompasses various types, including eco-tourism, accessible tourism, and religious tourism.
• Tourism has existed for nearly 2000 years, but significantly expanded in the 1960s as disposable income increased globally.

Positive Effects of Tourism

• Tourism generates revenue for local economies.
• Tourism creates direct and indirect employment opportunities.
• Interaction between diverse cultures fosters understanding and cultural exchange.
• Tourism supports the preservation of local traditions and festivals.
• Tourism contributes to the protection and conservation of fragile natural environments.

Negative Effects of Tourism

• Inappropriate management can negatively impact local cultures.
• Tourism-related jobs are often seasonal and lack job security.
• Tourist demand can increase the cost of basic goods.
• Cultural exchange can lead to conflicts between differing values and behaviors.
• Tourism can lead to environmental destruction, such as littering or noise pollution, without adequate protection..

Tourism in UAE

• The UAE is a global tourism destination focusing on integrated approaches to tourism.
• The country offers a variety of experiences, including culture, nature, outdoor activities, and shopping.
• Popular tourist spots include: Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island Cultural District, Zayed National Museum, Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, Al Ain Palace Museum, and Al Ain cultural areas.

Global Migration

• Migration is a significant factor, breaking down language and cultural barriers.
• Push factors from home countries drive emigration.
• Pull factors in destination countries attract immigrants.
• Migrant cultures often cluster together as they integrate into the host culture.

Global Commons: Defining Them

• Global commons are areas accessible to all nations but outside of a single nation's jurisdiction.
• Recognized global commons include: World Ocean, Atmosphere, Space and Antarctica.
• In the past, the World Ocean fell outside of any nation's particular jurisdiction, but now extends out to a defined coastal region and specific territorial claims.

Tourism and the 20th Century

• Commercial practices (fishing, etc) impacted oceans in the 20th century.
• Overfishing, pollution, and criminal acts were common.
• The 1945-1970 period saw a surge in national claims over ocean resources.
• The USA, under Harry Truman, expanded its jurisdiction over the continental shelf.
• Malta's Arvis Pardo advocated for international regulation of ocean activities.
• The UN Seabed Committee and the treaty banning nuclear weapons on the ocean floor were established.

The Atmosphere

• The atmosphere is the layer of gases surrounding Earth, including oxygen.
• Atmospheric gases regulate temperatures, influencing climate.
• Gases such as oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane absorb radiation, trapping heat and regulating the climate.
• Rainforests help balance the ratios of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as an example.
• Increased emission of greenhouse gases leads to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (Paris Agreement)

• The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise.
• It encourages international collaboration and financial support for less developed countries.
• The UAE ratified the Paris agreement in 2016 and is committed to national climate change plans and goals.
• Antarctica is a unique record of the Earth's climate with millions of years of captured ice.
• No human conflicts have occurred on the continent.

Space

• The Space Race was a Cold War competition between the USA and USSR.
• The USA achieved a lunar landing in 1969 with the Apollo mission.
• The International Space Station (ISS) is a global collaborative project for scientific research and studies.

Information, Science, and Education

• Many scientific discoveries have improved human life (eg penicillin).
• Scientific research, knowledge, and information are essential parts of the Global Commons.
• However, commercial interests sometimes affect scientific endeavors.

Sustainability

• Sustainable development aims to meet current needs while protecting future generations.
• Economic, social, and environmental sustainability is integral to long-term wellbeing.
• The 'Tragedy of The Commons' : A shared resource can be overused and destroyed by many people when there are no regulations.
• Externalised costs : Costs associated with an activity that falls outside the economic transaction (e.g. air pollution).
• Developing countries may have weak environmental regulations to promote economic growth.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• The 2030 Agenda outlines 17 specific targets for sustainable development.
• Goals include eradicating poverty (SDG 1.), addressing hunger (SDG 2.), promoting good health (SDG 3.), ensuring quality education (SDG 4) , and ensuring gender equality (SDG 5.) etc

Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Reduced Inequality, Sustainable Cities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life Below Water, Life on Land, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Partnerships for the Goals

• The notes cover sustainable development goals, emphasizing these areas as part of the global development agenda.

Becoming a Global Citizen

• Global citizen responsibilities highlight the importance of empathy, knowledge and skills in global living, and the need for adaptation and change in beliefs, to cope with the increased impact and effect of globalisation.

Four C's of the 21st Century

• Critical Thinking: Self-regulated, open, and supported by evidence; used in making fair judgments
• Communication: Effective, diverse-cultural, global-focused, technologically adept
• Collaboration: Teamwork and shared resources; fundamental twenty-first-century skill
• Creativity: Generates unusual ideas, innovation, and solutions to problems through new approaches.