The Social Impacts of Tourism in Singapore Essay

The Social Impacts of Tourism in Singapore - Essay Example By thoroughly addressing and discussing all of these issues as well as any and all other key and related matters, we will be able to come to a much more informed and knowledgeable understanding on the subject matter at hand overall. This is what will be dissertated in the following. The history of Singapore in fact goes back as far as the 3rd Century, when a Chinese account was known to have described the island at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Singapore is an incredibly cosmopolitan society in which people live harmoniously and where interaction among the different races is commonly seen. As well in Singapore, food is constantly readily and available, and there are many different cuisines that are available to the general population. There is "Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Peranakan, Spanish, French, Thai and even Fusion. It is very common to savor other culture's food and some of the food can be very intriguing" (Singapore, 2007). The cuisine of Singapore is often times viewed as a prime example of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore overall, and for example, "traditionally Malay hawker stalls selling halal food may serve halal versions of traditionally Tamil or Chinese food. Chinese stalls may introduce Malay or Indi an ingredients, cooking techniques or entire dishes into their range of catering. Some dishes introduce elements from all three cultures, while others incorporate influences from the rest of Asia and the West" (Wikipedia, 2007). Overall then, food in itself has really been quite heavily promoted as a major attraction for tourists, and as well it is usually promoted by that of various different initiatives undertaken by the Singapore Tourism Board or the other associations that it deals with, for that matter. Overall, "The multiculturalism of local food, the ready availability of international cuisine, and their wide range in prices to fit all budgets at all times of the day and year helps create a 'food paradise' to rival other contenders claiming the same moniker" (Wikipedia, 2007). Religion is also an incredibly integral part of Singapore, and for the most part, Singaporeans celebrate all of the major festivals that are associated with their retrospective religions. Religious tolerance is also incredibly essential in Singapore, and because of the racial tolerance that is considered normal and natural throughout the area of Singapore, there are few to no racial disputes, or disputes of any other kind for that matter, as the violence rate in Singapore is incredibly low. All of these factors add up to a very high tourism rate in Singapore, and although tourism is good for any location, as it increases revenue and status for the locale, there are still potential and viable implications that can occur from an overflow of tourism. One of the most important factors of all here as well is that of the residents' responses, and whether they are negative or positive, they are still equally as crucial to the overall impacts that tourism causes. Tourism in Singapore is an incredibly major industry, and millions of