Chris Monsour
Chuck Stull
Economics of Global Travelers
18 April 2014
1.) A passage I found particularly interesting was regarding the French visitors who had been largely brought up on nude sunbathing. Not only could I believe that the French tourists were stoned by incensed villagers in certain situations, but I was appalled at the fact that they continued to come back as tourists and in larger numbers. The culture shock was much more severe on the part of the Turks as opposed to the French, even though French tourists had been killed because of the way they presented themselves on the beaches near the villages. More interestingly was the fact that the villagers then switched their hostile ways and began welcoming tourism with open arms encouraging nude beaches and other foreign cultural tendencies. Before they knew it, housing capacity for tourists began doubling over the years and the old, more serious culture that once reigned the land had become a relic of the past.
2.) "Life used to be fun, now it's just business." This quote from the story encompasses how the increase in tourism affected the lives of the villagers in Pomegranate and the economy as a whole. The economy changed the culture and created a strong emphasis on boosting profits in any way possible. The villagers did everything they could to please and attract the tourists in any way possible. The old style of music in the village had changed to Euro-pop, popular cultural dishes had been given western names such as "Hamburgers" and "Turkish Cuisine", signs that once prohibited nudity and skimpy bathing suits on the beaches now encouraged them, and western-style dress was pushed more on the tourists as opposed to old, and now illegal styles, such as the Fez. For the purpose of hammering down on profitability, the culture had changed drastically for the sake of the economy and the villagers were doing everything in their power to continue down that path. Tools, clothing, and other artifacts of the past had become sights only seen in museums, often viewed by older members of the culture who once used those very items in every day life.
3.) Tourism affects economics and culture in many ways. Much like what was seen in this Turkish village, the world as a whole has witnessed massive transitions in certain cultures and economies to adapt to and attract foreigners/tourism, often for the sake of profitability and cultural appeal. Countries that didn't have much modern technology and infrastructure comparable with more modernized countries began utilizing the influence of the modernized countries by nearly mimicking their cultures in every way possible to attract their citizens for the benefits that tourism offers struggling economies. Mexico, Jamaica, the Caribbean Islands, and many other places around the world that once lacked in modern infrastructure yet had perfectly functioning cultures of their own began the race to modernize and create alternative cultures that made tourists feel like they never left their countries. Whether it was abandoning old ways, politics, ways of thinking, and more, these countries and the people within them brought it upon themselves to adapt to other cultures in an attempt to win over tourists. Conflict has arisen in many cases such as these primarily due to older members of the societies changing their cultures standing up for what they and their ancestors built up in the past. The culture may end up changing but that doesn't mean that it is welcomed by everybody within the population. At the same time, in today's world, adapting to other cultures and advancing technology, economics, infrastructure, and more are truly the most important ways for countries to continue to grow. The old ways of living life before culture change don't have to be altered dramatically in these places, especially for the sake of tourism, however the desire to appeal to tourists often acts as a driving force behind countries that lack in modernization to begin expanding and flourishing in every way possible.
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