...But is this form of tourism really helping the underprivileged people we're going to gawk at, or is it just like a trip to the zoo?...
...For the tourists, it assuages a bit of middle-class guilt, as we feel that we're "helping" in some form by pouring some money into the local economy, and leaves us with a conviction that, now that we've seen how the other side lives, we're going to change the world for the better ... just as soon as we get home and save up a bit more money....
...I guess this dilemma crosses over into the whole "voluntourism" business as well, where people spend part of their holiday, say, building houses for locals or helping out in schools. It's great that there seems to be this growing need amongst people to really help and to make a difference when they're travelling, rather than to just go along for the ride - but I still have the suspicion that we do it as much for the glow of self-satisfaction as for actually helping people.
But therein lies the dilemma. Is it better to do that than nothing at all?
Are tours of shanty towns really helping locals? Or is it like visiting a zoo? Have you done one? What was it like?...
But therein lies the dilemma. Is it better to do that than nothing at all?
Are tours of shanty towns really helping locals? Or is it like visiting a zoo? Have you done one? What was it like?...
