Theory: Tourism Impacts and Challenges

The culture of a destination is vitally important to the communities that live there. It is shared within and amongst social groups and has been transmitted from generation to generation. Culture is also vitally important to tourism. For example, cultural tourism, which involves the visitation to cultural and historical resources, is one of the oldest forms of travel and is currently one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry - more so than any other form of tourism (Timothy & Nyaupane, 2009; Richards & Munsters, 2010). Furthermore, cultural tourists tend to spend more than other tourist types (Stone, 2006).

Elements of culture that are likely to be utilized and influenced by tourism include:

• handicrafts
• language
• traditions
• gastronomy (food)
• art and music
• history
• architecture
• religion
• education
• heritage sites
• dress