Prompt: Organized tours to remote areas and communities are increasingly popular. Is it a positive or negative development for the local people and the environment?

It seems that a prevalent trend in tourism in recent years is the increasing popularity of visits to far-off places. I opine that given this tendency would benefit the residents in those destinations, it may do harm to the locality. Ċ On the one hand, inhabitants in the sites where tourists come could gain economic and cultural advantages. For starters, there will be more revenues coming to the places. As travellers come and stay at the tourist sites, they will certainly demand some basic services such as accommodation and catering. This can help local residents earn more money by providing such services, which in turn boost their living standards. In addition, it is the cultural exchange that inhabitants there can enjoy. Visitors nationwide and worldwide can introduce their customs to local people and at the same time learn the local’s by means of their visits. The process facilitates international understanding among people and helps boost love and passion for people in general. Ċ Granted, excessive tourist activities can cause damage to the sites’ surroundings. Surveys have shown that almost all places of interest are now under great criticism for the omnipresence of litter. Owing to this, many once-popular places have been turned back on by visitors. Moreover, when there are more people flocking to a place, the demand for transportation escalates accordingly. More flights or transport routes are established to accommodate this growing need, meaning that the volume of traffic also increases, and the definitive repercussion is the deterioration of the air quality. Ċ In conclusion, it is my belief that this trend of tourism defers considerable merits on local people, but gives rise to environmental degradation. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the powers that be should take appropriate action to maximize the gains and minimize the losses.