http://www.mtrustonline.com/dailytrust/tourism12092003.htm
Friday, September 12, 2003 Transnational tourism (2) By Abdulkareem K. W. Aniche The spectacle of consumption by foreign tourists in `third world' countries transmits the consumption models of the `developed' countries with stunning effect, which may be doubly negative: firstly because they undermine local and national identities and secondly because they present but a partial and usually distorted image of the `developed' countries themselves - of certain of their social classes and forms of behaviour, and more particularly of what are mere episodes in the lives of citizens of these countries. Transnational tourism thus produces illusion in two ways: the transnational tourists obtain a false picture of the `developing' countries, and the local population obtains a false picture of the `rich' countries! This `demonstration effect' is particularly marked in those countries already profoundly disrupted by colonisation. There are other economic and cultural changes attributable to the impact of transnational tourism, which tend to modify the socio- cultural structures of the `developing' countries. For example the fact that the stock-in-trade of transnational tourism consists of the commercialisation of certain local characteristics facilitates its disruptive effect on the local society. For it is the nature and culture of these countries that are for sale, or at any rate those of their aspects that may find a place in the exotic dreams of the transnational tourists and the stereotyped merchandise of organised tours! Driven by a variety of needs to earn a living from the transnational tourists, most local communities not only sell their labour but also offer themselves as merchandise. Consequently they are to some extent converted into a fetish and reduced both to serving the function expected of them by the transnational tourists and accepting whatever the tour operators may care to offer them in exchange. In the arts, music, dance and crafts their focus would be on developing whatever could be sold, which does not mean however that all `authenticity' is necessarily lost. Some have even observed that the interests of transnational tourists have occasionally led to the rediscovery of a sense of national and cultural identity and the development on that basis of crafts and cultural activities. Most often however transnational tourists, through their ignorance of the local cultures, their purchasing power and stereotyped demands, have actually encouraged the mass production of artifacts that could only be described as trash. Besides, such new enterprises as have arisen as a result of transnational tourism have often contributed in various ways to the destruction of the traditional production network. Indeed in many `developing' countries traditional products for everyday use such as earthenware products have already become luxury décor items for the transnational tourists; and the local population has been constrained to substitute these with imported mass produced plastic or metal articles. Curiously however these plastic and metal articles are sometimes considered by the local people to be signs of modernity or even social progress! `Ecologist' and `Culturalist' Convergence Modernity in the `developing' countries causes increasing concern to the promoters of transnational tourism who are rather more anxious to sell exotic traditional images. In itself therefore transnational tourism is probably not a panacea for endogenous development. Why in that case has the `preservation' of the culture and nature of `developing' countries become such a topical issue, even finding an echo in the very Western economic and political circles that only yesterday encouraged the `all-round modernisation' of these societies? The answer must be sought in the context of on-going discussions within these selfsame circles about the desirability of a `zero growth' option in the emergent `global economy' of the `New World Order.' The `preservation' of local cultures, while not necessarily implying endogenous development, could indeed imply immobility and the virtual conversion of vast areas of the `developing' countries into living museums a la `Indian reservations' - and national parks! This point must be tirelessly stressed. In view of anticipated changes in the status of their clientele the transnational tourism corporations are already adapting themselves to, and may indeed be stoking, these changes in their search for new ways of sustaining profit. For the transnational tourists of tomorrow are expected to be less affluent but more interested in the ecology and exotic aspects of the cultures of the countries of their destination. Prospects for Developing Countries Although transnational tourism did not reach the mass production stage until quite recently, transnational corporations already dominate it. The international hotel industry is virtually under the complete control of the major Western chains. The predominance of the transnational corporations is equally marked in the air transport sector. The transnational tour operator sector, in which `package tours' account for about 80 percent of the tourists, is as yet less concentrated than the hotel industry and air transport but becoming increasingly closely associated with the transnational corporations. Thus in transnational tourism as in many other economic sectors the `developing' countries must contend with transnational corporations whose turnover sometimes approaches the gross domestic products of these countries. Moreover the investment budgets and managerial and skilled staff employed by the transnational corporations are generally larger than those of the national organisations. There is also the problem of building the necessary infrastructures for transnational tourism, which is dominated worldwide by large construction and public works enterprises that are domiciled in the `developed' countries as well as the big design offices associated with them. In the present circumstances therefore `developing' countries that wish to expand transnational tourism are generally obliged to negotiate with the transnational corporations. These corporations have a number of assets in addition to their diversified experience in the operation of transnational tourism. In particular they have the technical and human resources to design, produce and manage transport facilities, accommodation and, what is more important, commercial access to the tourist-generating markets as well as to worldwide control and management systems. Indeed because of its very nature as a worldwide service activity, transnational tourism has developed impressive and computerised networks of operation that represent the true high technology sector of the tourism economy. This sector, which attracts substantial investment from the transnational corporations, is today at the very heart of their mutual rivalries. As one can imagine, an operation network of this type could be a formidable means of domination. Given the dispersal and decentralisation of productive activities in the transnational tourism sector, it is certainly an instrument for centralising economic power in the hands of the transnational corporations in addition to conducing to international standardisation. The socio- cultural impact of such a network tends in turn to reinforce the highly specific effects of transnational tourism on the local economy. Confronted with the transnational corporations therefore, and concerned at the same time to promote endogenous development, most `developing' countries wishing to expand their transnational tourism industry face major difficulties due to some of the negative effects aforementioned as well as the consequences of intervention by the transnational corporations. As the foundation of the `New World Order' appears to be in an advanced state of readiness and the transnational corporations are furiously engaged in the strategic redeployment of their mammoth resources, it is most essential that the `developing' countries hold fast to the keys to their own future. They could indeed accomplish this even while continuing the search for new means of exercising their own development options.
