Psst: Everything About The Travel Industry Is Political

FYI: Travel is political. Every single bit of it. From how we enter countries to how we spend our money and, more importantly, how residents are impacted either negatively or positively.

The Politics of Travel

Travel is known for its dreamy experiences and liberating freedom, but rarely do we think of travel as a high-profit industry and the world's biggest business.

In 2018, there were 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals, which generated $1.7 trillion in revenue, making up 3% of global GDP and supplying one in 10 jobs globally (yeah, that’s a lot of numbers).

So, there’s no denying that tourism is a booming business that’s growing exponentially. 

Even IBIS ranks tourism in its top 10 biggest industries by revenue, making your holiday an integral part of the global economy that governments (and corporations) are cashing in on.

"Like any industry, tourism has winners and losers, and keeping it out of critical discussions about the direction of the economy or international debates about the environment is short-sighted. " - Elizabeth Becker, Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism

The Link Between Government Policy and Tourism

Tourism is largely woven into government policy, making governments responsible for how travel is managed and the severity of its impact. 

When considering government's involvement in tourism, think globalization, human rights, foreign policy, immigration, housing and environmentalism. All of these sectors are directly related to tourism and are regulated by government intervention.

"Governments are like the head of the octopus, controlling in obvious and subtle ways just about everything that affects travel and tourism." - Becker, Overbooked

Governments are involved in tourism in a plethora of ways including, but not limited to:

• Issuing visas, stamping passports and turning people away

• Deciding whether an international company can build a new hotel or conference center

• Bidding for an international event like the Olympics

• Creating zoning laws that could either be in favor of residents or international businesses and foreigners

• Regulating the number of tourists to control mass tourism

• Investing in nature and wildlife preservation

• Regulating and allowing cruise ships 

"Governments sell their countries. They decide how to regulate businesses, who can visit their country, who benefits from tourism and who loses. As tourism becomes the top money earner for more and more countries, those government decisions are critical." - - Becker, Overbooked

Tourism directly affects the quality of life for the residents of some of the world’s most popular destinations like Venice, Amsterdam, Santorini, Bali, Dubrovnik, Koh Phi Phi, Machu Picchu, Barcelona, and so many more. 

The impacts of tourism have the potential to alleviate poverty, widen appreciation for different cultures and exchange wealth from rich to poor nations, but only with ethical government involvement.

OK, so why is this important?

Let me introduce you to a little thing called purchasing power. Governments have allowed tourism because of the wealth that tourists bring. We eat at restaurants, buy from shops, spend money on public transportation and stay at accommodation. Basically, we’re just a bunch of walking dollar signs (but, we can be so much more!).

Governments (not all, but most) will support whatever consumer pattern is bringing in the most money. So, if tourists continue to stay at large hotel chains like the Marriott and Hyatt, then governments will continue issuing building permits to these corporations to satisfy tourists’ needs.

So, collectively, we can control travel industry trends by being more conscious about how we travel and spend our money.

(While individual action is needed, a large part of the responsibility falls on the shoulders of governments and their favorability for either the local residents and preservation of culture and the environment, or foreigners and international corporations. So, make sure you vote for honest and ethical politicians!)

And, what do we do about it?

While a means to escape and experience, the impacts of travel are incredibly harmful. But, as a top global industry, travel isn't going anywhere. 

Plus, we clearly enjoy the hell out of it, so I highly doubt that anybody is going to voluntarily give up traveling. But, there’s plenty of ways to be better! 

While stronger governmental regulations in favor of the well-being of residents and the environment is inarguably needed, we can make a large impact by developing more sustainable and responsible travel practices. 

Which means....how you travel matters.

So, how can you travel more responsibly? 

• limit your amount of air travel

• avoid over-tourism hot spots (if it's non-negotiable, then travel on the off-season)

• always, always, buy locally (and do your research)

• avoid exploitative indigenous cultural commodification (especially if the tour/shop/service isn't locally owned)

• use reusables in-place of single-use plastics and be vigilante in this pursuit even while traveling

• use your purchasing power to support businesses, and organizations that care about economic, social, cultural and environmental sustainability, and stop purchasing from globalized conglomerates

• vote for politicians who prioritize environmental and social justice (people > profit)

• donate to organizations instead of volunteering