Advantages
Provides direct employment for the LEDC e.g. employment in bars, hotels, tour guides.
Provides indirect employment for the LEDC e.g. farmers can grow food for the hotel.
Provides much needed foreign currency and foreign investment.
The country has more money so can improve its infrastructure which is a benefit for the local people.

Disadvantages
Tourists cause pollution and can damage the environment e.g. visual and noise pollution from increased buildings.
Building up the infrastructure is costly and money that is spent may have been better spent elsewhere.
Some people in the right industries benefit but others may be worse off as traditional industry is often lost.
Tourists don't always respect traditional cultures and cultures can be broken down as a result of tourism.
Much of the profit goes overseas to MEDCs.
Country can rely on tourism too heavily and fail to develop other industries. Then if something goes wrong (e.g. war) they have lost everything.

Case studies:
Below is an example of an LEDC which tries to attract tourists - click on it to visit the case study:
<CS!> Jamaica - Tourism in an LEDC

Click here for GCSE coursework essays on Leisure and tourism