The growth of tourism and the numbers of people travelling to other countries for their vacations has led to debate as to whether this is beneficial. I believe that there are many problems that arise out of the tourist industry, and will examine these in detail. Many people argue that travel broadens the mind. However, this statement does not fully hold water. I would argue that spending a few weeks in another country is not long enough to gain a proper understanding of an alien culture. A foreigner visiting Britain might be met with the traditional British reserve, and mistakenly conclude that the British are unfriendly. Furthermore, some people are unwilling to open their minds. A Western traveller to an Arab country is unlikely to consider that the veiling of women is acceptable.