Today traveling has become a lifestyle and international tourism is flourishing. Some claim that this trend has caused tension between different cultures, but I find such opinion flawed and hard to justify.

To begin with, international tourism eases tension between people of different cultures by improving transcultural communication. Cultural differences could cause misunderstanding. Certain behavior that is normal and polite in one culture could be regarded as offensive and rude in another. For example, westerners often address elder family members or superiors at work by first name. However such practice would be conceived as crude by people from eastern countries such as China and Japan. However, we find it confusing to interpret or complying with diverging cultural norms without experiencing cultural nuisances on a first hand basis. Reading as a second hand information source only partially solves this problem. Luckily, traveling gives people a good solution by the means of accessing a different land.

In addition, the growth of international tourism generates revenue for countries involved. Tourists create thousands of job opportunities for the host country. Tourism relieves employment pressure and contributes to unemployment control. Governments around the globe all know the economic benefits of tourism industry. A good example could be found in Singapore and Thailand whose tourism is the leading industry and primary source of revenue.

Moreover, traveling abroad help people improve language proficiency and increase their knowledge of another culture and people. It is not rare that travelers fall in love with the culture of the host country and work later as cultural ambassadors.