Tourism is often seen as a major quantifier for economic development in many countries, according to their leaders. This was a conclusion made based on what tourism brings around – infrastructure, employment, foreign exchange and investment, among others – these, in addition to the continued connections with the West. The extent, to which the benefits outweigh the disadvantages of a booming tourism in a country, varies from one area to the next, making it difficult to arrive at a generalisation. However, we can see top tourist destinations coping with the associated disadvantages, and working on maximising the benefits.
Tourism often necessitates the building or upgrading of infrastructure, in order to provide basic amenities for tourists. Many LEDCs (less economically developed countries) suffer from a lack of sanitation, electricity, fresh water and good telecommunications links. However, in order to attract tourists, all of these services must be provided. Thus, in countries such as Zimbabwe, the Harare airport had to be rebuilt in order to cater for mass tourism. This investment in infrastructure benefits the local inhabitants of tourist destinations in a number of ways. The necessary expenditure is often on “public goods” – that is, goods where the benefit can be shared by many people. For example, the recent building of a new motorway from Beijing to the city airport has benefited both the Chinese and local businesses. The new construction has considerably helped in decreasing the amount of traffic build-up, thereby increasing efficiency. This increased expenditure also creates many jobs, many of them unskilled. As a result, there is a marked growth of purchasing power among the ordinary citizens, thereby enhancing their spending behaviour and providing an overall “boost” for the