Tourism is a modern form of colonialism. It distorts local economies, causes environmental damage, and ruins the places it exploits. To what extend would you support or reject the idea?

To many, tourism is considered a modern form of colonialism. Popular tourist destinations are likely to experience negative effects, such as economic distortion, environmental damage, and ruination. However, I disagree with the former statement. The benefits added by travelling are by far more significant for both the tourists and the destinations. With that being said, travelling is one of the main causes for environmental pollution. Whether it is by car, boat or airplane, the cost on the environment is great, and for the most part the reasons for repositioning are of no priority. Also, when the sudden need for more hotels and new roads arises, plenty of trees get cut down and a large part of land gets exploited. Additionally, areas with a large number of tourists are more prone to damages, since visitors usually are not respectful when it comes to their surroundings. Most common examples are littering, and the destruction of landmarks. Finally, the local economies are possible distorted, which means that prices of goods are driven up, making them less affordable to locals.