Tourism--passport to development?

Tourism, spurred by jumbo jets, charter tours, and the affluence of the industrial nations, has become a major economic activity. To many developing countries with few resources other than sunny climates, sandy beaches, and exotic cultures, it has seemed to offer an opportunity to secure foreign exchange and stimulate economic growth. Critics question, however, whether tourism yields economic returns commensurate with its costs and express concern about its possibly adverse social and cultural effects.