It may be hard to imagine that tourism was once an industry catered to the privileged few who could afford the luxury of travelling for pleasure. As the decades have gone by, people becoming more affluent and the advent of low-cost air travel have propelled tourism into a growth industry targeted at the mass-market. People are travelling ever more than before, be it for business or pleasure, to every corner of the world. Certain historical shifts can also be observed in tourism trends. If in those days tourists were mainly from developed continents such as Europe and North America, these days the Asians, particularly the nouveau riche from booming economies like China and the United Arab Emirates are the ones who are visiting the aforementioned developed regions of the world.
Along with increased tourism, cultural and personal perspectives of people are influenced greatly. People will naturally start forming their own attitudes or thoughts as they discover new cultures. This can lead to greater appreciation and understanding of various cultures, which would be a characteristic of a developed and mature society. This essay investigates the extent to which a broad understanding of other countries is achieved, and in which particular areas it may be possible. The first part of the essay zooms in on the globalized nature of tourism while the second part examines the degree to which the majority of tourists effectively learn about the countries that they visit.
