旅游英语教程Unit10New Words&E`xpressionsSimultaneous 同时的，同时发生的Consumption 消费Measurable 可测量的Implication 含义，暗示Literature 文献Detrimental 有害的Biased 有偏见的Culinary 烹饪的Beverage 饮料Authenticity 确实性，真实性Wedge 楔子Mosque 清真寺Mitigate 使减轻Unit 10 The Socio-Cultural Impact of T ourism-A New PerspectiveThe following is one segment of the dialog between a journalist and a professor. They are talking about the socio-cultural impact of tourism.Journalist: Tourism is a product that relies totally upon simultaneous production and consumption. In effect, if the tourists do not visit a destination then there are nomeasurable outputs of the industry’s activities. There is a wide range of serviceindustries in the world, but there is often no need for the consumer to visit theplace of production in order to consume the product. Examples of such serviceindustries include banking, finance and insurance services as well as media andcommunications. However, tourism is a personal service and, as such, can only beconsumed by the tourist visiting the destination. The implication of this for thedestination’s population is that it will come into contact with an alien populationduring the production process. Is this contact beneficial or detrimental to the hostpopulation? Today, we’re glad to have Professor Wang with us, sharing his ideasabout the socio-cultural impact of this contact. Professor Wang, what’s your viewabout this?Professor: In my view, this contact can be beneficial or detrimental to the host population depending upon the difference in cultures and the nature of the contact. Much of the literature on the social impact is biased in that it focuses attention upon thedetrimental impact of tourism on the host population. Similarly, little attention hasbeen paid to the fact that there can also be socio-cultural impact on the touristpopulation, which can again be either positive or negative. In reality, socio-culturalimpact tends to contain a mixture of both positive and negative strands and thisimpact affects both hosts and guests.Journalist: So, can you give us specific examples illustratingthe impact of tourism on the visitor population?Professor: For instance, the growth of UK tourists visiting Spain throughout the 1960s and 1970s resulted in culinary and beverage changes in the UK. Paella and Rioja wine,two Spanish products, benefited from this exchange. Another example is thatvisitors to Australia would often find it hard to resist adopting the beach-basedlifestyle and the barbecue when they return home. There is evidence ofsocio-cultural impact, ranging from the clothes we wear, the food we eat to ourgeneral lifestyle and attitudes, which can all be influenced by places we visit. Journalist: Recognizing the impact of tourism on the visitor population, what do you think of the impact of tourism on the host society?Professor: As I’ve mentioned just now, there can be both positive and negative socio-cultural impact resulting from tourism, depending on the type and intensity of tourism developed as well as the characteristics of the host society.Journalist: Professor Wang, would you please elaborate on both positive and negative socio-cultural impact of tourism based on general acceptance?Professor: OK. Positive socio-cultural impact of tourism may include conservation of cultural heritage, renewal of cultural pride, cross-cultural exchange, etc. As to conservation of cultural heritage, tourism can be a major stimulus for conservation of importantelements of the cultural heritage of an area because their conservation can bejustified, in part or whole, by tourism as tourist attractions. Second, renewal ofcultural pride. A sense of pride by residents in the host culture can be reinforced oreven renewed when they observe tourists appreciating it. This if especially true ofsome traditional cultures that are undergoing change as a result of generaleconomic development and are losing their sense of cultural self-confidence. Forex ample, Esman’s study concludes that tourism has helped the Cajun group ofLouisiana, USA, retains a strong sense of separate identity and ethnic pride byreinforcing the difference between the Cajuns and outsiders, even though some ofthe traditional cultural patterns have been lost. Thirdly, tourism can promotecross-cultural exchange of tourists and residents learning more about one another’scultures, resulting in greater mutual understanding and respect, or at leasttolerances of different value systems and traditions through understanding theircultural basis. Of course, here I only mention a couple of points about the positiveimpact, more are to be discussed if we conduct a comprehensive study on it. Journalist: Then, what about the negative socio-cultural impact of tourism?Professor: Well, I’m coming to that. If not well planned andcontrolled, tourism may generate negative impact or reduce the effectiveness of positive ones. For example, overcommercialization and loss of authenticity of traditional arts and crafts, customs,and ceremonies can result if these are over-modified to suit tourist demands.Besides, the demonstration effect of tourist from different cultural andsocioeconomic backgrounds on residents and especially on young people may takeplace. This effect involves residents observing and imitating the behavioral, dress,and life-style patterns of tourist, without understanding their cultural basis andsometimes not being able to financially afford to adopt the tourists’lifestyle.Because the demonstration effect particularly affects more impressionable youngerpeople, it may drive a wedge and create conflicts between different generations ina community. Misunderstanding and conflicts can also arise between residents andtourists because of differences in language, customs, religious values, andbehavioral patterns. For example, in some societies, foot and finger pointing isconsidered very impolite, while it is accepted in other places; in churches, wearingof shoes is the norm, while in mosques, shoes must be removed cause of suchproblems.Journalist: Since we are quite aware of both the positive and negative impact, do we have generally accepted socioeconomic policies and impact control measures that areconducive to preventing future or mitigating existing negative impact andreinforcing the positive ones?Professor:Well, as emphasized previously, each tourism area situation is unique and an approach that is effective in one area is not necessarily appropriate in another, norare all the techniques necessarily in a particular area. But generally speaking, thereare some measures that can be applied to lesson negative impact and reinforcepositive ones.。
