Samoa Tourism, Case Study Example

Discuss the dilemmas posed by implementing tourism in a traditional community (American Samoa).

Existing debates argue that tourism is only beneficial to wildlife: this is because tourism entails consumption of resources in a manner that is not consumptive and can benefit the community in the end. Controversies surrounding these debates are founded on the fact that tourism activities are likely to make communities more susceptible to the social and economic impacts. These arguments are based on fault lines of an extremely nuanced situation and the basis of the arguments appear to be complicated on the ground and the policy makers (Isia 15).

Despite the projection that conservation is a vital national agenda, it cannot be denied, that, in the current paradigm, a huge stake of conservation is focused on a small area of the upper- middle class and the urban middle class. Researchers have provided enough evidence suggesting that conservation promotes hardships and inflicts atrocities on the local community. Similarly, the same researchers argue that similar paradigm is anticipated to benefit the same communities through wildlife conservation: this is expected to be achieved through the route of tourism. This indicates some uncertainties that the math can add up (Rapaport 22).

The contradictions and the dilemmas are extremely evident: for example, publications argue that allowing tourists to access forests and other similar locations is likely to give them protection and conserve the environment. Alternatively,  studies argue that abiding by the Forest Rights Act that suggest that forest dwellers should be given rights, will only make them potential victims for destruction. This suggests that if tourists are not allowed to access the forests, then wildlife is likely to diminish in the community (Rapaport 37). Further, people are entitled to visiting parks at their own free will. It must be noted that traditional communities and forest dwellers have been protecting this wildlife-inhibited landscape for generations. Therefore, these communities have the right and are entitled to these communities. Several petitioners argue that tourists should not be allowed in areas where local communities have been displaced for the purpose of conservation. Communities around the world have been opposing and protesting against the issue of tourism activities in the community. This is because these communities fear the consequences it would have on the entire livelihood of the community (Isia 16). Further, these communities have expressed fears that opening operations to tourism activities is likely to have an impact on the livelihood of these communities. Their arguments are on the foundation that tourism activities are likely to take away sacred land, which community members rely upon for their livelihoods.

Communities must bear in mind the larger framework within which all the above dilemmas operate. The overall economic perception that indicates everything must be consumed: where economic growth and GDP precede everything else in the community, where dams, mining, railways, and roads are allowed to rip apart natural homes of traditional communities and habitats of wildlife. In this context, even conservation and wildlife have been subjected to pay for themselves. Imposing a ban on tourism would not be the best solution. However, if the parameters of the discussions and the debates are not considered for renegotiation, it is uncertain to expect any progress (Isia, 2009).

Many proponents of tourism argue that in case tourism is carried out in a sensitive manner, it would be part of the many solutions provided to the many challenges of conservation-experienced currency across the globe. However, the solution to conservation and tourism remains a serious challenge and the debaters should call in support from entities such as the Supreme Court. This is because such entities are likely to foster and come up with perspectives that could potentially engineer a solution to the problem. The response of the stakeholders involved will shape the results of the outcome of the dilemma. In this case, it is anticipated that the waiting continues (Rapaport 29).

References

Isia, Malopa’upo. Coming of Age in American Anthropology: Margaret Mead and Paradise. Michigan: Universal-Publishers, 2009 Print.

Rapaport, Moshe. The Pacific Islands: Environment & Society. California: Universal-Publishers, 2009 Print.