RR Tourism by Damien Wee

I do not agree with the writer as I believe that tourism benefits the local people. It brings about economic development, allowing people to have a higher standard of living. When tourists enter a country, they will spend money and this will bring in revenue for the country. The writer stated in the passage that in 2011 alone, the tourism industry created more than 4 million jobs - 11.1% of Philippine's total employment. It was also stated that in 2012 alone, tourism contributed 6% of Philippine's GDP. Whereas in Singapore, tourism receipts were estimated to be approximately $18.8 billion in 2010. These examples show how much revenue tourism can bring in when tourists spend money in exchange for goods and services provided by the local people. This opens up job opportunities for the locals and they will have a source of income to support their families. With more money, locals will also increase their consumption rate, allowing them to be able to afford better goods and services. Through taxes, the government also benefits as they would be able to use the money to improve public infrastructure, which also benefits the locals. Thus, I believe that tourism is beneficial as it helps people to achieve a higher standard of living.