1.Introduction
Comprehensively, we are probably aware that Mass Tourism has the accompanying attributes: (a) involvement of a huge number of people in tourism, (b) holidays are being standardized, rigidly packaged and inflexible (Karamustafa 2012), (c) it is being mass produced and mass marketed and (d) consumed by tourists that are unconcerned about the local culture or practices. This goes to say that Mass Tourism requires vast improvement in tourism and the need of the involvement of international travel intermediaries like travel agencies and tour operators (Karamustafa 2012). Travel agencies and tour operators tend to combine individual element into one package that is standardized. Destinations can easily substitute one another since…show more content… Alternative Tourism also aims to foster the involvement of the locals in decision making and adding them in the tourism development process. Alternative Tourism stresses the idea of conserving social, natural and historical assets of a tourist destination (Christou 2012). Alternative Tourism is more than just concerning of the physical environment but also includes economic, social and cultural considerations. It emphasizes on slow but sustainable growth rather than Mass Tourism that aims at quick economic revenues and less focused on environmental, social impacts and sustainable development. This essay seeks to analyse the positive impacts of Alternative Tourism. However, there are also underlining impacts that questions what Alternative Tourism can bring about in the…show more content… It is hard to not associate Alternative Tourism with Mass Tourism. Almost all of the Alternative Tourism activities are linked to the conventional tourism industry. Alternative tourists uses credit cards etc to make payments to organisations that are up for Mass Tourism.
There is also a possibility of Alternative Tourism transforming to Mass Tourism. An increase in Alternative tourists visiting an alternative destination would require restructuring of infrastructure and expansions that would be similar to conventional tourism product like backpacker hostel chains.
Alternative tourists seeks interactions with the locals however they might disrupt the communities by invading for long stays when those community areas are protected from the exposure of tourists.
The increase number of young travellers in seek of wildlife and nature might perpetually become a threat to the nature (Cohen 1987). These travellers are sometimes unaware or even not bothered by the environmental impact that they leave behind. They might cause the destruction of environment. Increasing numbers may also cause changes in the local communities like their custom (Cohen