Globalization and Tourism

|GLOBALIZATION / GLOBALISATION}
to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import quotas.
wikipedia

-refers

 Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy and developing countries are attempting to cash in on this expanding industry in an attempt to boost foreign investment and financial reserves.  While conceding that the uncontrolled growth of this industry can result in serious environmental and social problems, the United Nations contends that such negative effects can be controlled and reduced.

Globalization: The good, the bad and the ugly

 Globalization, or global integration, with its profound impact on the environment, is a growing concern for the conservation community.  While international trade and investment present major challenges, globalization also includes social, cultural, linguistic, political, technical and environmental integration, each with its own set of problems and opportunities.  It is clear that emerging global challenges such as climate change and the spread of invasive species require a global response.

 It's not all bad. Globalization can create new opportunities for environmental stewardship such as international payments for ecosystem services while the rapid spread of information and communication technology is enhancing environmental awareness and advocacy.

 This issue of World Conservation explores what the environmental community can do to ensure globalization follows a greener path. We hear academic and NGO perspectives on sustainable food production, invasive species and wildlife trade, from UNEP's Deputy Executive Director on the need to strengthen global environmental governance, and from the head of the World Tourism Organization on balancing tourism growth with biodiversity conservation. 

Globalization

 means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels of societies around the world. Unfortunately "Globalization" has become a somewhat negative term when it should not be at all. Why? Well, probably because of all the greed in the economic domain, that is nothing new however plus globalization should not be mistaken with capitalism. This page does not focus on the economic angle that goes along with globalization, but rather looks at the big picture of what globalization really is i.e. its technological, ecological, sociocultural and political opportunities next to pure economic ones.

Effects and Changes

 If we talk about globalization we are also interested in effects and and changes caused by globalization, something this subsection takes a closer look at.

Migration

 Only a few decades ago, traveling abroad from the Indian subcontinent was so rare that the adventurous traveler's entire family would accompany him to the airport along with much pomp and circumstance, including occasionally a brass band, to bid him farewell.  Today, people think nothing of having breakfast on one continent and dinner on another. And many people go abroad to work, either permanently or temporarily. The money they send home helps their families and boosts their home country's economy.  On the other hand, greater international labor mobility increases risk of brain drain. But several developing economies are attracting their educated citizens back by creating good business environments for people to use their entrepreneurship.

Trade

 Trade drives globalization. Modern transportation and telecommunications have made it easier to export to and import from far-away places. But international rules, regulations, and practices can still make it difficult for developing countries to compete against developed countries.  For example, there is the problem of Dumping. For instance, some manufacturers dump goods in other countries at prices lower than the goods can be manufactured, undercutting local producers. One example occurs when farmers who receive subsidies export surplus crops and drive down international prices  Then there is the problem with Market Access and Regional Trade Agreements. Countries often try to protect their industries by imposing taxes on goods from other countries. These import tariffs make imported goods cost more and make it harder for poor countries to compete in richer markets.

 

RTAs (Regional Trade Agreements) are transnational trade deals, and are becoming increasingly widespread. A regional free trade agreement removes all barriers to trade. Unfortunately, when these agreements happen between developed and developing nations, they often do not benefit the weaker economy. Poorer countries can not develop their own industries with cheap imports from rich economies entering their markets. To ultimately reduce poverty, international trade negotiations need to uphold the interests of developing economies. We also see issues with Labor Rights. Globalization has brought millions of people into the workforce and raised living standards in developing countries. But some believe it has undermined labor standards in developed countries/regions like for example Europe and the USA, and increased pressure to work faster, longer or for less money. Overall, global trade has grown dramatically over the past three decades, and developing countries have now become important players in the global marketplace. Their share of world trade has increased greatly over the past 30 years. For example, China's share of the global marketplace has risen to 5% in 2010, that is three times as much as it was in the mid-1980s. India and several Latin American countries seem ready to make similar jumps in global trade.

Health

 

Globalization has had dramatic effects on health. Treatments for diseases such as HIV/AIDS are more widely available, and their prices have fallen thanks to international agreements. Modern medical equipment to detect, measure and treat known and emerging diseases is being used all over the world. The Internet with its many tools and applications, the WWW (Wold Wide Web) and email amongst the most widely used and popular, spread knowledge of health issues, while global action among national institutes, international bodies, and civil society is helping to increase awareness, monitor developments and create solutions to health problems. On the other hand, cross border travel more easily spreads AIDS, SARS, and other infectious diseases, and could hasten a pandemic. The movement of meat and poultry products spreads diseases such as mad cow disease and avian influenza, especially in countries where regulations are weak and food standards are poorly enforced. Globalization also means that harmful products, such as cigarettes and alcohol, can wreak devastating consequences worldwide. The movement of qualified health professionals from developing to developed countries has weakened the health systems of some developing countries, which now face shortages of qualified health providers.

Environment

 It is said that the movement of a butterfly's wings can create atmospheric changes that could cause a hurricane at the other end of the world. Sure, this is all mathematical and/or philosophical theory but did you know that brown tree snakes from Australia are causing power outages in Guam on a regular. Ha!  International travel, trade and transport have become leading causes of invasive alien species. While many of the species that reach new lands do not survive in their new environments, others thrive. Left unchecked, they can transform entire ecosystems and even threaten other species to the point of extinction. Globally, the estimated costs of invasive alien species are in the area of $350 billion USD they say... it is probably three times that, but who knows. That is for another story.

Culture

 Thanks to globalization, we know much more about other cultures today than people did in the past. It has opened our minds to other ideas and traditions, and has made this a very exciting time for our generation and those to come.  However, many argue that today globalization merely equals westernization and will soon be replaced by sinicization this might take generations though... Some fear losing their values and languages to external influences and are threatened by the influence of other cultures on their own.

Miscellaneous

                        

Other effects and changes caused by globalization are enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies worldwide production markets emerge free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, overfishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions more transborder data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase corporate, national and subnational borrowers have better access to external finance worldwide financial markets emerge multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity but at the same time this diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation international travel and tourism increases worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture local consumer products are exported to other countries immigration between countries increases cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced subsidies for local businesses decrease capital controls reduce or vanquish there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions i.e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another

Why Should I Care?

 Globalization has sparked one of the most highly charged debates of the past decade. When people criticize the effects of globalization, they generally refer to economic integration. Economic integration occurs when countries lower barriers such as import tariffs and open their economies up to investment and trade with the rest of the world. These critics complain that inequalities in the current global trading system hurt developing countries at the benefit of developed countries.  On the other side are the supporters of globalization who say that countries like China, India, Uganda and Vietnam, all of which have opened up itself to the world economy, have significantly reduced poverty.  Money can't buy happiness, but neither can poverty. Leo Rosten (1908 - )

Countries who have benefited from Globalization

 China: Reform led to the largest poverty reduction in history. The number of rural poor fell from 250 million in 1978 to 34 million in 1999.  India: Cut its poverty rate in half in the past two decades.  Uganda: Poverty fell 40% during the 1990s and school enrollments doubled.  Vietnam: Surveys of the country's poorest households show 98% of people improved their living conditions in the 1990s. The government conducted a household survey at the beginning of reforms and went back 6 years later to the same households and found impressive reductions in poverty. People had more food to eat and children were attending secondary school. Trade liberalization was one factor among many that contributed to Vietnam's success. The country cut poverty in half in a decade. Economic integration raised the prices for the products of poor farmers (e.g. rice, fish, cashews) and also created large numbers of factory jobs in footwear and garments, jobs that paid a lot more than existing opportunities in Vietnam.

Countries who have NOT benefited from Globalization

 Many countries in Africa have failed to share in the gains of globalization. Their exports have remained confined to a narrow range of primary commodities.  Some experts suggest poor policies and infrastructure, weak institutions and corrupt governance have marginalized some countries.  Other experts believe that geographical and climatic disadvantage have locked some countries out of global growth. For example, land-locked countries may find it hard to compete in global manufacturing and service markets.

When it Started

        

You, like everybody else, thinks globalization started 20 years ago?! Boy, you are wrong... Globalization is not a new phenomena, the base was laid long back when the Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company started trading with India. In history there were trade relations between different countries like Arab and Egypt and now in modern times that has translated into globalization or free trade. It is true that ultimately all the free trade resulted in the white man taking the burden proactively but then globalization leads to more employment and higher standard of living, especially among the developing countries. Theories suggest that globalization leads to efficient use of resources and benefits all who are involved it is probably fair to question that, but from what I have seen, it is true. According to libertarians, globalization will help the whole world to deal with crises like unemployment and poverty again, it is probably also fair to question that... currently, even if Europe and the USA is loosing jobs, in the long-run I can imagine that is true and it will be a win-win. It will help us to raise the global economy only when the involved power blocks have mutual trust and respect for each others opinion. Globalization and democracy should go hand in hand it should be pure business with no colonialist designs as it were back then with the Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company. The way we have developed in the last 15 years, globalization seems to have given us good returns. Globalization has made the life of the third world citizen completely a different story. There are so many foreign companies that have made way to Orient and have made India a brand name all over the world. Globalization is a bumpy road, a what they call African massage, but ultimately I think it is a good thing. It is exciting, that is for sure... we just need to be attentive and act with foresight, mutual respect and understanding, honesty and fairness to not run our vehicle off the road... something that almost happened in 2008 when the financial meltdown hit. Poverty wants much, but avarice everything. Publilius Syrus

Impacts of Globalization

 It, however, is not only modernizing but also westernizing and to an extent also sinicizing native cultures. The power play is leading to the linguicide or linguistic, cultural and traditional genocide. This is probably where we need to keep a check and not let diffusion go wild. There has been significant de-localization which leads individuals to be more tolerant since face-to-face interaction is no more the order of the day.  For example, these days one European is trying to sort out billing issue of his mobile phone with an Indian who is mostly not even a direct employee of the service provider where the European has his mobile phone contract. Now, that sounds complicated and all but none the less, has to be dealt with carefully.

 Globalization can be described as a process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society. This process is a combination of economic, ecological, technological, sociocultural and political forces. Markus Gattol