TRAVEL AND TOURISM ESSAY
Winner: Katleho Sekonyela
Name of a School: Mohale’s Hoek English Medium High School (MEMS).
Class: Grade11
What is tourism? Beyond the joy of travel and recreation, tourism is a powerful force for peace.
First and foremost, tourism promotes intermingling between tourism sub-sectors. Tour operator’s package travel and tourism products and services, sell them to travel agents, who sell them to the consumers. As a result, this creates employment as travel agents may be hired by tour operators to sell the travel and tourism products and services on their behalf. Again, it promotes peace between service providers as they are able to work together to meet the tourists’ needs and wants. The website https;//opentextbc.com shows that they can work together to alleviate poverty, promoting peace in the country.
Secondly, tourism empowers diversity and inclusion. Tourism ensures that a diverse group of travellers from different backgrounds and cultures are respected and included in the tourism industry around different destinations. To illustrate, as of https;//wttc.org, North Korea will soon open its borders to international tourists after the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently, this promotes cross cultural exchange between North Korea and international tourist as they are welcomed to local destinations, learn more about the North Korean culture. Similarly, it promotes peace between countries as they are able to work together to solve problems. Again, the country’s economy increases as foreign investors invest in the tourism industry.
Additionally, tourism promotes peace through leisure events. Tourists travel from their homes to different locations to explore different events, festivals and others. As a result, this improves the country’s economy as tourists buy tickets to such events; ‘Maletsunyane Braai Festival. Similarly, the shared excitement and passion for the events between the locals and tourists creates a sense of camaraderie and unity. Again, this also promotes cross cultural exchange through annual events such as the Moshoeshoe walk.
Most importantly, tourism breaks barriers between countries. Governmental agencies such as the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture (MTEC) have collaborated with tourism associations like Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), joining forces to advance sustainable tourism in their respective member countries. According to https;//unwto.org, UNWTO has 160 member countries. Consequently, the country’s economy increases as the tourism organizations market it as a tourism destination. This economical development results in peace in the country.
Lastly, tourism encourages community alliance. Locals in different communities work together to create events that are economically beneficial to them. Such events include Leribe Tourism Festival; Katse Dam Tourism Festival. As a result, this promotes oneness between locals as they stand together as one, passing on Basotho traditions.
ALL in all, by breaking barriers between countries and communities through alliance and inclusion, tourism is a vital catalyst for peace.
