TOURISM
by Philip Briggs
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RESPONSIBLE TOURISM by Philip Briggs |
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"In an age of buzzwords like eco-tourism and responsible tourism, it is to be assumed that a large proportion of tourists are concerned about their effect on the countries they visit, and with how best to bridge the gap between their own and local cultures. But I do feel that it is currently being promoted in a rather idealised, artificial manner. Media focus on tourist-related issues may create a greater awareness of the potentially negative effects of tourism in the West, but is it reaching the people who count most: those who are actually travelling?" |
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No matter how much prospective travellers read on the subject of responsible tourism prior
to their trip, neat ideological certainties will not prepare them for the muddy realities of semi-
Westernised urban societies which include among their members thieves, con artists, beggars
prostitutes and a plethora of other arguably unsavoury characters. Most developing countries are
overwhelming to first-time visitors; many travellers' ideals vanish beneath the culture shock. And
when they turn to their travel guide, or talk to other travellers, the chances are that the only
guidance that they will receive will be how to spend as little money as possible, or the sort of
vague generalisations about theft and bureaucracy which are less a guide than they are an
inducement to paranoia.
I do not think it is realistic to promote responsible tourism without also giving serious thought to the stresses which face visitors to developing countries. The most effective way to do this is not through the mass media, but through the travel guides which accompany most travellers on their journey. When I talk to other travellers, I sense that many are flipping between two non- convergent ideologies: the perfectly genuine concern of the liberalised West they have left behind, and the entirely selfabsorbed creeds of budget travel. I think it is vital that we reconcile these divergent ideals, that travel guides provide their users with a realistic framework within which they can think through tourist-related issues. That is what this section attempts to do. My aim is not to lay down the law, but to stimulate debate and to look honestly and holistically at aspects of tourism which concern not only myself but many other travellers to whom I have spoken. If this sounds arrogant or self-righteous, I should add that I am not asking that anybody agree with any of my conclusions - I return from every African trip with revised views and fresh opinions and that I have no doubt that the person who has learnt the most from writing this section is myself. Before you read any further, I would like to put forward one important and easily missed perspective on tourism. There is one question we almost invariably ask visitors to our own country; it is the same question I am asked most frequently when I travel in Africa. And it is not 'Do you understand our country?' It is not 'Are you behaving responsibly in our country?' It is 'Do you like our country?' Like us, Ethiopians are proud of their country, they want to know that visitors feel the same way. Is it not our first responsibility as a visitor to do our damnedest to enjoy the country we visit - to ensure that we can answer the one question we will always be asked with an honest and enthusiastic 'Yes!'? On the face of it, the current trend towards promoting responsible and sustainable tourism is a long overdue and positive shift in emphasis. For too long, unscrupulous travel writers, tour operators and resort owners have encouraged tourism without really concerning themselves with the environmental or social consequences. Unchecked, I have no doubt they will continue to do so, and within this framework, I actively encourage tourists to Ethiopia or elsewhere to act responsibly. In the UK a body called Tourism Concern (tel: 44 (0) 181 944-0464) is at the forefront of promoting responsible tourism. It has produced a most useful set of guidelines, reproduced here in abbreviated form:
2. Save precious natural resources. Try not to waste water. Switch off lights and air conditioning when you go out. 3. Be kind to wildlife. Loud music, bonfires, litter and off-road driving can disturb or destroy animals and plants. 4. Be adventurous! Get out and meet the local people by walking and cycling, and eating in local restaurants. 5. Always ask before taking photographs or video recordings of people. 6. Support traditional skills and businesses by buying authentic crafts made in the area... but do safeguard nature by avoiding souvenirs made from wildlife products. I agree entirely with these guidelines. In fact, I could add several more to the list:
2. Respect and obey the laws of the country you visit. 3. Do not let the occasional need to bargain over prices blind you to the fact that, where uncertainty exists, it is always better to be generous than stingy when dealing with people less wealthy than yourself. 4. Do not draw cultural inferences from the behaviour of individuals. 5. Put your money directly into the local economy, for instance by eating and sleeping at local and privately owned establishments rather than government or foreign-owned concerns. 6. Humour is almost always a better way to deal with minor irritations than is assertiveness or aggression. Cultural Perspectives | Responsible Tourism | |
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