Mohammadkhanloo, Setare; 2021101219

International Tourism Midterm Reaction Paper

TITLE: INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND DEMONSTRATION EFFECT

INTRODUCTION AND COURSE REVIEW

Tourism is a double-edged sword. While it is undoubtedly one of humanity's greatest pursuits,

allowing people to experience diverse cultures and create unforgettable memories; it is crucial to
critically examine the impacts it has on host societies. Moreover, tourism in nature is a cultural affair.
Culture is a motivating factor to travel and basically, each tourist is a representative of a culture
carrying with themselves one or more behaviours, belief, or tradition, who also demonstrates a live
image of their society. When tourism growth is not sustainable, a socio-cultural consequence called
“Demonstration Effect” might happen. The demonstration effect refers to the phenomenon where
tourists' behaviours and preferences shape the cultural identity and lifestyle of the host society
(“Carlos Monterrubio” & “Martha Marivel Mendoza”). In simpler terms, demonstration effect refers
to the behaviours that members of the host population copy from the tourists. This may start off as
innocuous behaviours, such as consuming branded fast food and drink, but can take the form of far
more undesirable activities such as drug taking and prostitution. Hence, while tourism brings
numerous benefits, it also carries potential drawbacks that need careful examination. (192 words)

CONCEPTS IN INTERNATIONAL TOURISM

The encounter between tourists and locals has been of profound significance for the understanding of
tourism as a sociocultural phenomenon. Tourists and locals are involved in a frequent and repeated
number of social and cultural demonstrations. When this contact is not sustainable, “Demonstration
Effect” might happen. For the demonstration effect to exist, three basic propositions are suggested:
first, the behaviour of tourists and hosts is initially different; second, behavioural patterns are
transferred from one group to the other; and third, the imitators maintain the demonstrated behaviour
(Fisher, 2004). Although the demonstration effect can be advantageous, Wall and Mathieson (2006)
argue that it is more commonly detrimental and that most scholars indicate concern for the impact of
tourists on local people. Demonstration effect has impacts on the internal structure of local
communities in terms of changes in the roles of women, community cohesion, demographic structure
and institutional structures (Wall & Mathieson, 2006). As a consequence, local beliefs, attitudes, and
values are transformed, and all this may eventually alter social relationships and self-perceptions of
local residents. To conclude, the demonstration effect in tourism poses real challenges to the cultural
integrity of host societies and it is crucial to carefully examine these profound consequences. (205
words)

DESTINATION PROFILE

The tourism destination chosen for the report is Jordan, Petra. Jordan is known for its rich history,
archaeological sites, and natural wonders. One of the major highlights of tourism in Jordan is Petra
where its history dates to the prehistoric eras of Romans, the Byzantines and Arab Muslims. The total
number of tourists visiting Jordan in 2018 was 4.922 million, of which over 828 thousand have visited
Petra. The indigenous inhabitants of Petra are called “Bedouins” and one study showed that the
Bedouins of Petra have been witnessing significant negative impacts in terms of sociocultural
changes; school dropouts and child labour, and alteration of sociocultural values. All Bedouin
participants in the study expressed their dissatisfaction with socio-cultural changes, such as bad
manners and swearwords. What is even worse, many young Bedouins use only foreign words when
they speak to show off. Last but not least, Jordan is a Muslim country where Islam has an important
influence on people and religious instructions forbid consuming alcohol. However, many young locals
drink alcohol in public and work in bars and massage centres (eRTR, 2019). In conclusion, the
tourism development in Petra is doing harm to cultural integrity of locals and further research should
be undertaken to solve this problem. (208 words)

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REFERENCES

Carlos Monterrubio” & “Martha Marivel Mendoza. Tourism and the demonstration effect: Empirical
evidence,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290391258_Tourism_and_the_demonstration_effect_Empiri
cal_evidence

Fisher, D. (2004). The demonstration effect revisited. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(2), 428-446.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160738304000180

Wall, G., & Mathieson, A. (2006). Tourism: Change, impacts and opportunities. Essex: Pearson
Prentice Hall.

https://books.google.co.kr/books/about/Tourism.html?id=jisvN9N9aesC&redir_esc=y

(eRTR), Vol. 16, No. 5, 2019. The negative sociocultural impacts of tourism on Bedouin communities
of Petra, Jordan

https://ertr-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/ertr/article/view/399/124

Bedouins of Petra, Jordan drinking tea Bedouin live at Petra, Jordan for Cercle

Figure 1: Theories of International Tourism and Demonstration Effect

Socioeconomic Impacts of Tourism.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Socioeconomic-Impacts-of-Tourism-Positive-Impacts-Negative-
Impacts-Economic-benefits_tbl1_338435503
Socio-cultural impacts of Tourism
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Model-of-Socio-cultural-Impacts-of-Tourism_fig2_344518546
Bedouins of Petra, Jordan drinking tea.
https://www.wesaidgotravel.com/photo_award/bedouins-drinking-tea-in-little-petra-petra-jordan/
Bedouin live at Petra, Jordan for Cercle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQCLf9T_M7Q