Article
1/22/2021

Tourism in LEDCs

Only 20% of world tourism happens in LEDCs!

Advantages

  • Provides direct employment for the LEDC e.g. employment in bars, hotels, tour guides.
  • Provides indirect employment for the LEDC e.g. farmers can grow food for the hotel.
  • Provides much needed foreign currency and foreign investment.
  • The country has more money so can improve its infrastructure which is a benefit for the local people.

Disadvantages

  • Tourists cause pollution and can damage the environment e.g. visual and noise pollution from increased buildings.
  • Building up the infrastructure is costly and money that is spent may have been better spent elsewhere.
  • Some people in the right industries benefit but others may be worse off as traditional industry is often lost.
  • Tourists don't always respect traditional cultures and cultures can be broken down as a result of tourism.
  • Much of the profit goes overseas to MEDCs.
  • Country can rely on tourism too heavily and fail to develop other industries. Then if something goes wrong (e.g. war) they have lost everything.

Case studies