Maintaining a presence abroad may increase the volume of tourists to a country but also represent a considerable loss of money to foreign markets.
In smaller or less developed countries, where many tourism-related companies may be foreign owned, this can represent a substantial loss of income.
Countries with a small tourism industry may have to give tax exemptions or other offers to increase foreign investment.
High-income tourism may well significantly increase leakage, as that industry likely involves importing more goods and services than usual.
Ecological or adventure tourism may exhibit a very small degree of leakage, however, as they place value solely on what the host country has to offer.
In countries such as Turkey and the United Kingdom, the benefit to the economy from tourism is twice the dollar amount spent by tourists.
[5] Some estimates of the degree of leakage claim only 5% of money spent on tourism remains in a developing country's economy.
However, encouragement of domestic involvement in a country's tourism industry may reduce leakage in the long run.