Why is tourism seen as an important means of economic development in many less economically developed countries? To what extent are the benefits of tourism for these countries, outweighed by the costs?

... Why is tourism seen as an important means of economic development in many less economically developed countries? To what extent are the benefits of tourism for these countries, outweighed by the costs? Tourism is often seen by the leaders of economically less developed countries as one of the best ways to promote economic development. This view is taken due to broadly five benefits tourism brings with it: infrastructure; employment; foreign exchange; investment; and the fostering of connections with the West. The extent to which the benefits outweigh the costs varies markedly from area to area, making generalization difficult. However, it can be seen that in most destinations, whilst there have been a number of problems, on balance, tourism has been a force for good. Tourism often necessitates the building or upgrading of infrastructure, in order to provide basic amenities for tourists. Many LEDCs (less economically developed countries) suffer from a lack of

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