Travel and Tourism has been growing significantly in the last few years. With many social media networking sites in place, many travel bloggers have evolved opening up a completely new market for travellers and travel or hospitality companies. The contribution of Tourism to the Global GDP has been growing at an average of 2.3% since 2005. International passenger arrivals around the world has increased from a global average of 828 million in 2005 to 1.184 billion in 2015.
With growth in tourism industry the people are getting more exposure to various cultures, beliefs, rituals and food. The connection between two people from completely different nationalities and culture has grown stronger because of tourism. With more travelers looking to experience the local life and cuisine, the rural parts of the country is getting more visitors, hence more income as well as a chance to learn and understand a different perspective altogether.
The Homestay system, and the preference of tourists to stay in them in order to be able to live with the locals has also brought out a lot of change. For in order to be able to be hospitable to a stranger, one needs to develop tolerance and be liberal in order to ensure that the guests are not offended.
There is another movement for humanitarian travelers where one can volunteer for a cause while on a trip in order to experience a place in a completely new dimension. The causes range from education, conservation, sustainability and animal welfare. But these activities performed by foreigners are inspiring for locals as well triggering a sense of citizen social responsibility in them. The locals then take personal interest in these causes increasing participation in return for them.
Apart from all of these, travel often makes one realise how big the world is and how small and insignificant we are in front of it. This epiphany instills humility in people, in turn making them more inspired to contribute towards the society and national development. And so, on this World Tourism Day, we encourage everyone to travel, or host travellers. Because it is time we updated ourselves by keeping the best of our culture and passing them onto others while adapting the best of other cultures in order to grow, progress and move towards prosperity.
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Regards,
The CSR Journal Team
