tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089534974849062246.post6316673830567688242..comments2013-07-18T16:30:38.452-04:00Comments on Wanderings: Is Tourism Good for Developing Countries?Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213994487184509276noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089534974849062246.post-70112440902684273222010-01-22T23:21:37.183-05:002010-01-22T23:21:37.183-05:00I think it's a question that everyone who trav...I think it's a question that everyone who travels needs to answer for themselves and I imagine the line would be different for each person. Where does exploitative tourism end and "meaningful encounter" begin? <br /><br />A challenge for myself has been to realize that it is natural for us to draw the line in our favor, justifying certain things that perhaps shouldn't be justified simply to suit our leisure activities. <br /><br />There's certainly a lot of complicating issues, even beyond what I raised here. How do Western influxes affect cultures and traditions? Does tourism provide accurate cultural representations or do they play on stereotypes(for example: in "tribal" dances for resorts, luaus in Hawaii, etc...)? What role does travel itself play on ecological degeneration? <br /><br />There's really no easy answers.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18213994487184509276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089534974849062246.post-35717601367856054202010-01-22T17:14:59.730-05:002010-01-22T17:14:59.730-05:00So is there a place for responsible tourism then?
...So is there a place for responsible tourism then?<br /><br />I thought about this in conjunction with our travels through the South Pacific, my time in Kenya and now with the upcoming trip to Myanmar.<br /><br />Certainly, in Kenya I was not doing the work my parents were: I was merely tagging along. Yet I don't think I was a "tourist" either. I truly wanted to meet and get to know locals as best as I could with the language barriers. I wanted to see how they live and gain an understanding of them. We purposefully avoided organized safaris and the like.<br /><br />Again, going to Myanmar where responsible tourism is a big deal: how much of what I will spend will go to the locals and how much will line the pockets of the junta? Fortunately, we're going as guests of locals so minimal amounts will make their way to the junta, but that probability still exists. At the same time, our friends want us to come as a tangible expression of our support and so we can take their stories outside of the country and share them. <br /><br />But day stops in Haiti on cruises etc.? I'm not down with that.Gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18381255321644599968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8089534974849062246.post-55803192467298639512010-01-22T15:10:51.441-05:002010-01-22T15:10:51.441-05:00I've thought about this a bit too. We just go...I've thought about this a bit too. We just got back from Cancun and it seemed like every person who lived in Cancun worked at one of the resorts or tourist attractions. So is this good or bad? I wondered. Creating jobs & providing salaries (and surprisingly good ones we found out at our resort!) or taking over their homes and forcing them into job of servitude? <br /><br />Tough one.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07002778284055350042noreply@blogger.com