Given the focus of ECOT, the link between tourism and development must be examined. Governments of developing countries often look at tourism as a godsend for development and poverty alleviation. The tourism industry always puts forward the line that ‘tourism alleviates poverty’. 

During its recent general assembly in Kazakhstan in October 2009, the UNWTO presented a plan of action entitled ‘The roadmap to recovery’. It positions Tourism as a primary vehicle for job creation and economic recovery, and makes the following points:

• Tourism is one of the world’s top job creators

• Tourism is a lead export sector

• Tourism is a key development agent.

• Tourism can help the transition to a Green Economy’ 

This plan demonstrates the unrealistic way in which the UNWTO and the tourism industry at large refer to tourism, i.e. in business-like terms that do not reflect the situation of the local communities on the ground. It is driven by economic information such as tourist arrivals and overall revenue earned and so on, but not on social indicators on tourism’s impact on people.

But if the tourism sector creates new opportunities of employment in various fields such as construction work, services and catering, it has to be said that such employment is often low-paid and most of the time do not provide any social or health security. It is crucial to expose the myths of tourism, as they are being perpetuated years after years.

Poverty alleviation: the myths of tourism 

Critical questions must be raised, such as who really benefits from tourism? Why do the poorest people, who are the least responsible for the negative impacts of tourism, suffer the most? How much of the income generated from tourism eventually reaches the poor and does not ‘leak out’ from the developing economies through foreign-owned tour operators, airlines, cruise companies, hotel chains and food and drink imports . Furthermore, through the market laws of supply and demand created by tourism, the supply of limited vital resources inflates prices beyond the reach of the local population. As well, natural resources are diverted for the sake of tourists in search of a pleasurable time around a swimming pool or in a golf course to the detriment of local populations struggling to access water for their everyday needs. The profits gained from tourism are repatriated to powerful investors, while its damaging effects remain on the ground for local communities to suffer from both in the short and long term.

The link between tourism and climate change raises further concerns for local communities. What is the logic of relying on international travel that is contributing to rising sea levels and devastating millions of people’s livelihood through its carbon emissions and ill effects? The poorest have to pay the carbon bill others have caused. 

Tourism does not always alleviate poverty and it creates environmental and social damages, often aggravating poverty and undermining Millenium Development Goals.

Hearing the voices of the victims of the negative impact of tourism and promoting socially, ecologically and ethically responsible tourism has governed ECOT’s mission in the last 30 years. Sadly enough, the damaging effects of tourism do not seem to decrease, and it is even a cause of concern that the current economic downturn might lead to even more abuse and lack of concern for the local communities. It is therefore to be feared that the interests of the local communities will be even more left behind.