Tourism in social perspective

TOURISM AND SOCIETY: Shalini Modi; Rawat Publications, Satyam Apartments, Sector 3, Jain Temple Road, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur- 302004. Rs. 595.

WITH HER strong academic background in travel and tourism, the author of this book has brought out an in-depth comparison among tourists of two different social and cultural settings. Besides, she has attempted to understand the behavioural trends and attitudes of the Indian and Western tourists.

Placing her arguments that "even as tourism may accelerate changes already underway in a community, but it does not by itself introduce changes," she has made an honest attempt to analyse the ways in which tourism is contributing to changes in value systems, individual behaviour, family relationship, moral conduct, creative expressions, traditional ceremonies and community organisations.

After an elaborate introduction into the travel industry, the author dwells at length in the "Theoretical overview'' section, with historical evolution and developments, the motivation and demand for tourist travel and socio-cultural impacts of tourism. The author then takes on the most vital component of the travel- trade industry; tourism trend in India; perceptions and attitudes and steps to tackle the issues one faces while travelling abroad and in an independent section explains the tourism trends in The Netherlands.

Pointing out that "Tourism constitutes one end of a broad leisure spectrum", she raises a question that is often asked whether tourism is good or bad for the country. "So simple and yet so complex. Tourism is surely good for the country provided its effects are not harmful to the host population. We in India have not yet reached a stage where the harmful effects of tourism need to be deliberated upon".

The author pleads that tourists too must adopt tourism ethics — they must consider the social, cultural and environmental consequences of their actions. This requires knowledge and tourism education. The latter is necessary for the tourists and residents alike. Both need to become sensitive to each other's needs and culture and to the consequences of being insensitive and unaware.

Stressing that tourism professionals and educators have a stake in developing tourism ethics, she says that the long-term future of tourism is more secure to the extent that such an ethics conserves resources, smoothens relations between hosts and guests, and assists in the management of tourism. Like environmental ethics, it will, however, take a long time to develop tourism ethics. But the task should not be shunned even if it demands significant investments in time and results — a key factor, which has been debated at all levels and which is a clear pointer to those who draft policy at the Central Government.

It is befitting that the author sums up with a quote of Mark Twain: "News of the death of third and fourth world cultures is greatly exaggerated. And where cultures die, tourism is seldom to blame".

T. S. SHANKAR

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