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It's relatively non-polluting and leads to growth in amenities that can also be enjoyed by locals.

mc32 6y ago
On the other hand it requires travel and is based on consumerist culture and selfie assertion “I was there”. We could go to the extreme and qualify it as a type of “appropriation” if we wanted because it’s ephemeral and not immersive.
- mixedCase 6y ago
  I'm sorry, but can you try rewriting your comment? As a non-native english speaker it's very hard for me to understand what you're trying to imply here.
pessimizer 6y ago
Middle-class tourist travel is responsible for something like 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. Maybe you meant that it was locally non-polluting? That jet fuel and gasoline burning doesn't pollute the tourist destinations much more than everyplace else, although it pollutes more than almost anything else. edit: changed 20% to 8%. Removed "IIRC." https://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-study-finds https://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-glo...
- ForHackernews 6y ago
  > That jet fuel and gasoline burning... According to the article you linked: > The rise is largely driven by an increased demand for goods and services – rather than air travel, the research finds. But yes, as far as local job-creation goes, tourism is much more palatable than heavy industry. Would you rather live near charming shops and restaurants or a big factory?
  - philwelch 6y ago
    Would you rather work in a charming shop or restaurant as a minimum wage service worker dealing with the public, or as a better-paid skilled worker in a big factory?
    - ForHackernews 6y ago
      Doesn't matter to the city council. Homeowners pay property tax and vote in local elections. Wage labor commutes in to do whatever jobs they can get.
      - philwelch 6y ago
        And without middle-class jobs, you don’t get any homeowners.

mc32 6y ago

On the other hand it requires travel and is based on consumerist culture and selfie assertion “I was there”. We could go to the extreme and qualify it as a type of “appropriation” if we wanted because it’s ephemeral and not immersive.

mixedCase 6y ago
I'm sorry, but can you try rewriting your comment? As a non-native english speaker it's very hard for me to understand what you're trying to imply here.

pessimizer 6y ago

Middle-class tourist travel is responsible for something like 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. Maybe you meant that it was locally non-polluting? That jet fuel and gasoline burning doesn't pollute the tourist destinations much more than everyplace else, although it pollutes more than almost anything else. edit: changed 20% to 8%. Removed "IIRC." https://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-study-finds https://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-glo...

ForHackernews 6y ago
> That jet fuel and gasoline burning... According to the article you linked: > The rise is largely driven by an increased demand for goods and services – rather than air travel, the research finds. But yes, as far as local job-creation goes, tourism is much more palatable than heavy industry. Would you rather live near charming shops and restaurants or a big factory?
- philwelch 6y ago
  Would you rather work in a charming shop or restaurant as a minimum wage service worker dealing with the public, or as a better-paid skilled worker in a big factory?
  - ForHackernews 6y ago
    Doesn't matter to the city council. Homeowners pay property tax and vote in local elections. Wage labor commutes in to do whatever jobs they can get.
    - philwelch 6y ago
      And without middle-class jobs, you don’t get any homeowners.