# Tourism in LEDCs

Source: https://projectgcse.co.uk/geography/leisure_tourism/tourism_in_ledcs

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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**

- [Jamaica](https://www.projectgcse.co.uk/gcse_geography/jamaica)