( BLACK PR WIRE) ( March 16, 2009) It’s no secret that certain landmarks across the world incite deep emotions in people who have only seen them in photographs. From the Eiffel Tower to the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the Taj Mahal, we all have a few exotic places we are determined to see in our lifetimes. Tourism, it seems, fuels the world’s economy in ways beneficial to many and African Americans are no strangers to exotic travel locales. Tourism can be a significant, even vital part of a local economy, especially smaller, or remote locations with little other industry available to inhabitants. Developing nations can be especially reliant on tourism as a means to improve their quality of life yet can lose out when foreign investors are responsible for the up front costs for construction of tourism infrastructure and facilities thus earning the majority of profits returned. A good way to help developing local economies is to attempt to patronize locally owned hotels, restaurants and shops. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people traveling and staying outside of their everyday environment for leisure for not more than one consecutive year. Tourism is now a popular global leisure activity. According to World Bank assessments, tourism is the largest and most intensely developing of world industries boasting 842 million individuals traversing the globe in 2006. These numbers are only set to increase. With so much to do and see it’s not such a small world after all! The options for tourism are limitless with destinations worldwide sure to suit everyone from the most adventurous to the most mild-mannered traveler.