Tourism Debate Speech Term Paper

Government Regulation of the Outdoor Industry

The outdoor industry is a booming business in America today. With the failing economy, more people than ever are heading to the outdoors to unwind and relax. To jump on this trend, Amazon.com opened an Outdoor Recreation Store at its site in July, and it has shown steady growth ever since it opened. Another trend in the outdoor industry is imposing more government regulation on outdoor sports and activities, and that is something Americans should not allow. As a member of the International Kayak Fishing Association, I strongly urge Americans to contact their Congressional representatives about the government's attempts to regulate the paddling community. This is the plain truth. Governments want to regulate kayaks, canoes, and other paddleboats because of the huge income potential. These are the facts. "The National Recreational Boating Survey reported in 2002 that canoes were the second most-operated boat, just behind the open motorboat. Numbers from the Outdoor Industry Association show that canoeing participation grew 32.9% to 25.9 million between 1998 and 2003 and that kayaking participation grew 150% to 11.4 million in the same period" (Editors).The Coast Guard and other government agencies are urging states to license boats because of safety concerns, such as accidents and fatalities, but the states are looking at the massive revenue they could gain because of licensing these boats, because there are so many of them. It is simply a money grab for them, especially during a time when their state budgets are suffering because of the economy.

That is exactly why government regulation is a bad idea at this time. The economy is weak, and people cannot afford to do many of the things they used to do, like dining out, going to the movies, and other pursuits. Getting outdoors and back to nature is one way to reduce the negative effects of the economy. Outdoor enthusiasts have to pay to get into most parks, they have to pay for their equipment, they have to pay for gas to get there, and they have to pay for licenses if they want to hunt or fish. They should not….....