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[–] 131 points 6 months ago* (61 children)

Thats because the residents didnt choose to have their town be economically dependent on tourism. Tourist economies tend to really fuck over local residents. Be it insane housing prices due to airbnbs. Or lack of necessities like grocery stores, affordable restuarants, etc due to all the stores being knick-knack and commodity shops or gentrified tourist centered restaurants. Lack of decent jobs due to everything being targeted towards tourism (really shitty if its seasonal tourism, cause then you are out of the job for the off season). Not to mention having to deal with the roads being congested with tourists, be they pedestrians or drivers. Plus so so so much more. My take, a place should NEVER base its economy around tourism. I got no problem with tourism, but it should be a byproduct or consequence of having a place worth visiting. Not the whole point of the town existing. An economy around tourism is like an economy built around oil. Yeah its a great boost to income for the place, but it comes at the expensive of QoL for the residents, and eventually the well will dry up and youll have nothing to fall back on.

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  • [–] 10 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Somebody got a business degree from their local community college (no disrespect to community colleges, major disrespect to business majors). You're like a rich man telling the poor to count their blessings and pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Fuck off and maybe learn to read before you go trying to lecture me about how great living in a tourist economy is.

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  • [–] 7 points 6 months ago

    Wow, please continue to tell the person living paycheck to paycheck, working in houseless services, living in tourist town, and has never had the money to even step foot outside of New England, how great tourism is. And you very much have stake in the game Mr. "I've travelled the world." You're literally the person the economy of these places is catering to.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago*

    no anything

    Well besides absolute shitloads of farms, which some correct people might consider less than glamorous but which still have to go somewhere - and which every developing nation also needs many of. Seriously, this is a deeply apples-to-things-that-aren't-apples comparison.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago (5 children)

    I definitely have some contempt for the fudgies but it aint all that bad. There is more nuance here to how tourist towns go about managing their population booms.

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  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    I live in a state that is very tourism centered, and I've lived in and near towns and cities that are tourist economies or trying to be. Speaking from that experience, whatever good they bring is outweighed by the problems they cause. Tourism is nuanced, but tourism economies I don't feel are. I've never once heard a resident of a tourist town talk positively of tourism unless they are a business owner or otherwise have some stake in the game, like landlords or airbnd owners.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

    Some economies can naturally gravitate towards tourism without local intent. If your town is building kitsch then you are probably on the sour end of that spectrum. Here tourism is inevitable, its in the lay of the land. Our town doesnt suck at managing it though, no more than two air bnbs per city block downtown. We have plenty of Inns and Hotels built out to accommodate for short term housing so tourists aren’t competing against locals for space. I would also argue (all be it with some bias) that renting out short term rooms is distinct from being a landlord in a few key ways. A lot more time and effort and care is required from an innkeeper than a landlord, they provide real service to somebody rather than just cornering a resource to sell it back to the community.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Fair. Here, they lean way into it. "Vacation land" being the state motto. Camden, Bar Harbor, and Ogunquit being the three worst towns that I am aware of in terms of tourism, but theres plenty more. Lots of homes here are owned by snowbirds (rich people who own summer homes up here and then live in their homes in Florida or whatever in the winter). The economy is already fucked because of the large elderly population, and then its further fucked by all these rich vacationers who each up the housing. All the recreational stuff around here is very tourist adjacent or targeted like skiing, hunting, hiking, etc. Which the lack of third spaces, non-outdoor recreational activities, and most industry being catered to sustaining the elderly or tourists leads to all the young people moving out of state for better opportunities. Which obviously just makes all these problems worse. The place I live, most of the housing is owned by like one or two huge landlord companies too.

    That is to say though, I feel like an economy that drifts to tourism like you say, while yes is a tourism economy, I feel it also kinda leans into tourism as a byproduct rather than the goal. Unless you feel thats not the case, idk.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

    Yeah we have a disproportionately elderly population and many snowbirds too. Our economy used to be highly industrial, and we do still have a lot of operational factories outside of town which provide a lot of stability for the winter months. We also have a huge state park which soaks up a lot of the tourists as they go camp there instead of staying in town, as well as being a favorite spot for locals to go. If we didn't have these things then tourism would be a lot more damaging to the area.

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  • [–] 23 points 6 months ago (49 children)

    There are so many places that without tourism, there isn't a reason to be there. I drive the Western US pretty thoroughly and the difference between small towns where tourists go, and those that have nothing, is stark. They love to complain about it, and hate on tourists, but damn do they want that money. You go am hour down the road and get to the next town and it's dead, no grocery stores, no real business, most the main streets are boarded up from failed attempts at building something. People are fucking stupid, you have have some reason your town exists, or you end up with those towns in Wyoming I drive through that have 20 population, and won't last another generation.

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  • [–] 11 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Reminds me of when I ran into some international students and they asked me β€œwhat is in Indiana? Who would ever live there?” Sometimes people just are born or end up places and social ties, debt, or whatever keeps them there. Moving is easy for some, remarkably hard for others.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago

    Sure, but also people just like it. I live in Illinois about 2.5 hours out of Chicago and I love it. We have all 4 seasons, the population is roughly 400k, we have basically everything a major city has, way less traffic, cost of living is minimal (comparatively), I can travel 10 miles out and it's farmland where we can run ATVs and dirt bikes, hunting (not my thing personally), you can easily go into Chicago if there's a huge concert or event (we get a lot locally too).

    I get that it isn't everyone's thing with snowing a few times a year, or you're not an hour from a beach. But that would eventually get old after a while I'm sure.

    Just saying there are plenty of reasons to pick "why would you live there" places.

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  • [–] 8 points 6 months ago (31 children)

    What a strange take. The people that run businesses are almost never the entirety of the town. If they are, you're likely in a theme park or a carnival. And of course the businesses want your money.

    Have you interacted with someone that doesn't run a business there?

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (30 children)

    Yes, but you do realize that the people that live there work at those businesses. If tourism doesn't exist in those areas, those jobs that they rely on wouldn't exist. You don't have to own a business to profit from it. In many of those areas, there isn't any other real industry.

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  • In many of those areas, there isn't any other real industry.

    And this is the crux of the issue people have with tourist towns as well. Tourism as an industry drives up CoL through inflated property values and increased prices for basic essentials but is a low wage industry.

    An economy needs money to flow, but you need more than a low wage industry for a healthy area. Otherwise, you've basically just reinvented serfdom with a different product.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (23 children)

    Yes, but you do realize that the people that live there work at those businesses. If tourism doesn’t exist in those areas, those jobs that they rely on wouldn’t exist.

    Trickle down economics on Lemmy, Christ.

    I suppose I should expand on that, my understanding of trickle down systems are those that benefit the rich at the expense of their poor. My argument for why it benefits the rich: your comment on the benefits of tourism. My arguments why those benefits come at the expense of the poor: their comment listing all the expenses those benefits come at.

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  • [–] -3 points 6 months ago (20 children)

    You know any of those people can start a business a well. Right. Right? It's not about trickle down. It's about people choosing A job. Shit I got tired of working for people years ago and started my own company. At one point I couldn't afford a screw to finish a job. I had to talk a Lowe's employee into letting me have one. Last year I made a pretty great wage. I'm not rich, but I'm not suffering any more. Maybe. Just maybe, get off Lemmy, and everything else and stop feeling sorry for yourself. No one is going to hand you shit. Tourist town, big city. Small town, whatever.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    You still need demand. You can’t just start a company that does whatever you wanna work in whereever you want. Though there are things you can do pretty much everywhere as long you have electricity and internet

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

    That's a nice anecdote, but it's not the argument for tourist towns you think it is. You're merely arguing that they should aspire to join the ranks of the advantaged, at the expense of the poor. Not that the rich aren't advantaged at the expense of the poor.

    "Just start a business lol" is also an argument used to defend trickle down economics. But you know as well as I, it's no panacea.

    Just maybe, get off Lemmy, and everything else and stop feeling sorry for yourself. No one is going to hand you shit.

    How arrogantly presumptive of you. If I told you I'm comfortable, and have no want or need for people to "hand me shit", would you respect my opinion more? Would you like to try again without the failed economic policy, anecdotal non-sequitors, or the classist ad-hominems?

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

    TL;Dr: you: lots of people gave me lots of handouts, I'm good and should be listened to. Also you: other people just want handouts, they're bad and shouldn't be listened to. Your position is very silly.

    Dude let me tell you this. I was poor like dirt poor for years. I've been homeless with my kids more than once. I have suffered I have seen it all I have been to the food banks I have relied on churches and people to pay my rent just so I could have a place to live.

    TL;Dr? Your wall of text started with this anecdotal non-sequitor. I can't imagine it gets better from there, and you've lost the benefit of the doubt.

    You aren't describing a particularly awesome system btw: "dude, things are so good, I've been homeless at least twice, I couldn't afford food at one point and I needed people to hand me shit (like food and rent)... Let me tell you how much other people want them to be handed shit." That wonderful bit of hypocrisy is just the first few sentences. Here's my advice: introspect.

    Anyway, did you, at any point, argue I was wrong about tourist towns? I suspect not, you haven't yet.

    I suppose I should expand on that, my understanding of trickle down systems are those that benefit the rich at the expense of their poor. My argument for why it benefits the rich: your comment on the benefits of tourism. My arguments why those benefits come at the expense of the poor: their comment listing all the expenses those benefits come at [and now you, telling me you were homeless, and needed people to hand you shit to survive].

    I have asked, and you have failed already. But could you do it without the failed economic policy, the anecdotal non-sequitors, or the classist ad-hominems this time? I'm adding being a ladder puller to the list. Who knows what other nonsense your comment was full of. Generally it's a request to drop the nonsense please.

    Just an FYI, "Pull yourself up by bootstraps" is a common defence of trickle down economics. That's why I mocked your "just start a business lol" argument. It's silly and you should feel silly.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (15 children)

    You just go to the capital tree and get the startup money!

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (10 children)

    I ain't a fucking boomer either. I'm not doing sales. I am in IT, doing site services such as construction, troubleshooting, etc. I work in a lot of these small towns and tourists towns, because no one in these towns are doing it. But if I did live in these towns I could start this same business, under cut every national chain out there and service that community and others. If I didn't have those skills I would go make shirts, sell those to tourists, stickers are huge, fucking hot dogs. Ice cream, soda, shit, window washing. Everyone feeling sorry for themselves, no one willing to step up. I've failed so many business over the years because I've tried so many. I've been on my own at this point for 7 years. All you have to be in hungry and willing to fail.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (9 children)

    I ain't a fucking boomer either go on a couple vacations to see my grandchild I've been on my own at this point for 7 years

    Pick an age, Boomer.

    because no one in these towns are doing it

    And this is the problem with the "pick yourself up by your bootstraps and learn to code, dangit!" advice. It stops working if people follow it, because the more people are offering a service, the lower the price it can command in a labor market.

    How do I know? Well, in addition to being a software engineer for over 2 decades, I also studied econ in college.

    I've failed so many business over the years because I've tried so many

    And who exactly paid your bills while you were busy failing?

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago* (8 children)

    I paid my own bills. Worked as hard as I could to do what I needed to make it.

    Also, fuck you. What fucking age do you think I am?

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (7 children)

    How old is your grandchild, fuckwit?

    I paid my own bills

    The only ones not paying their own bills are employers, fuckwit. Being a pick me bitch for the capitalists isn't a good thing.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (6 children)

    Hey you fucking dumbass you could be in your 30s and have grandkids dumb fuck. I was in my mid 40s I'm not even 50 years old that's solidly in the Gen x generation you dumb whit fucking hell bitch.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (5 children)

    Tell you what, granpa, why don't you lift yourself up by your bootstraps and hang yourself with them?

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    I tell you the same thing but obviously you can't even afford bootstraps

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    Yeah, I'm a dev, not just a cable monkey. I'm just fine.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Been there, done that. Prefer doing what I do over staring at a screen, and I can't be replaced by some vibe coding AI kid.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago* (4 children)

    only because tourism in these places crowds out all other industry, often on purpose

    gotta keep local labor cheep for profits

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  • [–] -5 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    What industry happens in those areas? Would you prefer a factory, maybe an oil rig. Or how about a mine. Great alternatives .....

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  • [–] 8 points 6 months ago* (2 children)

    you ever actually live in a β€˜tourist’ town?

    name it

    Hawaii had a major IT project to be an international hub, thousands of jobs. This was early 2000s. State tourism lobby killed it.

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago*

    the original post and the problems the first reply is talking about is very pertinent to Hawaii

    you asked for an example, this is a real directly illustrative one

    the argument was something along the lines of development harming visual appeal (while having 10 story+ apartments in Waikiki)

    but it was and always is about cheap local labor to exploit

    tourism does not help locals any more than trickle down economics helps the average citizen

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (13 children)

    once again the common brain dead take

    it never fails

    this idiot right here is why locals hate tourists

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (12 children)

    So tell us your take o wise one.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago* (11 children)

    it’s already been made by others with obvious experience living there, you replied to it even

    then you handwaved all local suffering away with the argument locals should be thankful because money

    big douche energy there

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  • [–] -2 points 6 months ago (10 children)

    Not over person has mentioned any other alternatives. It's simply complaining.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (9 children)

    and?

    do we suddenly need alternatives to justify very real problems?

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  • [–] -1 points 6 months ago (8 children)

    Everyone needs a job to survive in this world. Workout actually, yes. Because it's not a problem. It's people complaining about their way of life. Most would not be able to live in those areas without something like that.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago* (6 children)

    false equivalency much?

    and most still can’t live there anyway, they just have a job while not being able to afford living there

    almost like you have zero actual experience living in a tourist town and ignored the point in the first post in favor of vomiting your opinion all over the place

    anyway until you either admit you have no idea what you are talking about personally other than being a tourist or name an actual city you lived in with real direct experiences I’m done

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    you’re right for sure it’s not

    both situations are evil

    it’s the exploitation, the extreme fucking over the people living and working there so the ownership class can make a few more dollars

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago* (2 children)

    lol I actually gave you credit for having some empathy, hence my reply and then you go and prove my first impression correct

    blind rich entitled fucktard

    I don’t know what else a sane man would call unbridled capitalism that wrecks entire towns in the name of profit but regardless I have zero need to read anything else from you

    have a block

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