Comments on: The 9 Paradoxes Of Modern Tourism http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:37:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Carol Mutesi http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-8848 Carol Mutesi Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:49:53 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-8848 Uganda is a comparative newcomer to today's international tourism scene, which has benefited both the country's natural enviroment and the tourism expirience it offers. The country has avoided the trap of courting the mass market and instead has followed the path of ecotourism, which ensures that any growth in the visitor numbers is sustained and that developement is not detrimental to the natural enviroment and local culture. Tour operatours are also diversifying their products to include cultural and community based tourism, adventure tourism, avitourism etc to cope with the competition from neighbouring countries. Uganda is a comparative newcomer to today’s international tourism scene, which has benefited both the country’s natural enviroment and the tourism expirience it offers. The country has avoided the trap of courting the mass market and instead has followed the path of ecotourism, which ensures that any growth in the visitor numbers is sustained and that developement is not detrimental to the natural enviroment and local culture. Tour operatours are also diversifying their products to include cultural and community based tourism, adventure tourism, avitourism etc to cope with the competition from neighbouring countries.

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]]> By: Rachel http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-8173 Rachel Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:48:59 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-8173 I recently was backpacking in northern Argentina, where the majority of the population is indigenous and lives in small towns. I went to tiny villages in the middle of the mountains. Tourism definitely directly benefits these people, who rent rooms in their houses and offer meals in humble restaurants. However, they charge so little - $3 US per night in a hostel, and $4 US for a full meal with wine - that they don't ever make any profit. Bigger towns in the northern Argentine provinces of Salta and Jujuy charge twice or even three times as much for the same services. Then again, you have to wonder what they would do with the money if they charged higher prices. After all, these are indigenous people and capitalism is a foreign concept to them. They mostly live off handicrafts, agriculture, and animal herding. I recently was backpacking in northern Argentina, where the majority of the population is indigenous and lives in small towns. I went to tiny villages in the middle of the mountains. Tourism definitely directly benefits these people, who rent rooms in their houses and offer meals in humble restaurants. However, they charge so little – $3 US per night in a hostel, and $4 US for a full meal with wine – that they don’t ever make any profit. Bigger towns in the northern Argentine provinces of Salta and Jujuy charge twice or even three times as much for the same services.

Then again, you have to wonder what they would do with the money if they charged higher prices. After all, these are indigenous people and capitalism is a foreign concept to them. They mostly live off handicrafts, agriculture, and animal herding.

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]]> By: paula http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-8149 paula Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:50:22 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-8149 Ecotourism is the cheapest way of dealing with poverty eradication epecially in African continent.In Kenya,the communities living around the flora n fauna resources have joined hands in coming up with community ecologes which are being used by tourists hence promoting Local Economic Developement(LED.This is so because the money circulates within the vicinity and does not leak out to already developed economies.Though there are negative aspects of these activities,the positive still outlays the negative hence ma reason for surporting ecotourism. Ecotourism is the cheapest way of dealing with poverty eradication epecially in African continent.In Kenya,the communities living around the flora n fauna resources have joined hands in coming up with community ecologes which are being used by tourists hence promoting Local Economic Developement(LED.This is so because the money circulates within the vicinity and does not leak out to already developed economies.Though there are negative aspects of these activities,the positive still outlays the negative hence ma reason for surporting ecotourism.

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]]> By: Carol Mutesi http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7871 Carol Mutesi Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:56:38 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7871 In my country Uganda, tourism has mainly taken the form of Eco tourism. The number of tourists that come to visit our national parks are far less than our neighbours Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is still a virgin destination which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. One way in which visitor numbers have been regulated is the pricing. Visiting attractions in Uganda is much more expensive than other safari destinations. Take for example Mountain gorilla tracking. Mountain gorillas are highly endangered species of apes found in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC(less than 700 individuals exsist in the world). Permits for tracking are highly regulated by government, with not more than 10 people tracking per day and permits have to be booked up to 2 years in advance. A permit will cost USD 500. When you add the transport, accomodation and meals expences it gets to more than USD 1000 depending on the days spent at the park, and this does not include air transport to Uganda. So less people will be willing to pay this kind of money and will opt for the cheaper safaris in the other countries.By doing this the government is protecting the mountain gorillas and their habitant the tropical rainforests. But we earn less money compared to our neighbours. In my country Uganda, tourism has mainly taken the form of Eco tourism. The number of tourists that come to visit our national parks are far less than our neighbours Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is still a virgin destination which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. One way in which visitor numbers have been regulated is the pricing. Visiting attractions in Uganda is much more expensive than other safari destinations. Take for example Mountain gorilla tracking. Mountain gorillas are highly endangered species of apes found in Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC(less than 700 individuals exsist in the world). Permits for tracking are highly regulated by government, with not more than 10 people tracking per day and permits have to be booked up to 2 years in advance. A permit will cost USD 500. When you add the transport, accomodation and meals expences it gets to more than USD 1000 depending on the days spent at the park, and this does not include air transport to Uganda. So less people will be willing to pay this kind of money and will opt for the cheaper safaris in the other countries.By doing this the government is protecting the mountain gorillas and their habitant the tropical rainforests. But we earn less money compared to our neighbours.

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]]> By: Joshua Berman http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7634 Joshua Berman Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:42:52 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7634 It's a very tricky line we walk, especially as travel writers. Thanks for bringing attention to this. I also just blogged about it here: http://blog.joshuaberman.net/07-07/tourisms-dark-side.html It’s a very tricky line we walk, especially as travel writers. Thanks for bringing attention to this. I also just blogged about it here:

http://blog.joshuaberman.net/07-07/tourisms-dark-side.html

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]]> By: Ian MacKenzie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7619 Ian MacKenzie Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:38:48 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7619 thanks for the links Trip! I like how you articulated the "traveler-centric" versus the "traveler-local" shift. thanks for the links Trip! I like how you articulated the “traveler-centric” versus the “traveler-local” shift.

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]]> By: Trip Sweeney http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7552 Trip Sweeney Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:33:28 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7552 The major shift in focus we hope is taking place among travelers is from the traveler-centric experience to the traveler-local mutual experience. With this shift in focus, "consumer" interests will help drive beneficial change in tourism. This is the same shift that has taken place with fair trade in other industries. In travel, we have the choice of who we buy from and the direct local impact we have since we go to the point of production. Here are some site recommendations that are very relevant to this discussion: Forums: www.irresponsibletourism.info and http://forum.planeta.com/ Travel Classifieds and Advocacy Community www.stepuptravel.org The major shift in focus we hope is taking place among travelers is from the traveler-centric experience to the traveler-local mutual experience. With this shift in focus, “consumer” interests will help drive beneficial change in tourism. This is the same shift that has taken place with fair trade in other industries. In travel, we have the choice of who we buy from and the direct local impact we have since we go to the point of production.

Here are some site recommendations that are very relevant to this discussion:
Forums: http://www.irresponsibletourism.info and http://forum.planeta.com/

Travel Classifieds and Advocacy Community
http://www.stepuptravel.org

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]]> By: Geofrey Chambua http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7453 Geofrey Chambua Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:45:35 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7453 yes Government eventually find itseslf being oriented with outsiders, how by allowing them to do whatever pleases them eg employing their own people preferrably the outside, exempting them from paying taxes, manipulating the local resources etc, then you find that the bred winners are the outsiders instead of the locals. even those local employed finds themselves sucumbing to local salaries other thatn the international standards and the govt blesses it, look also the way they are firing them from their jobs, no contract, discriminations etc, please tourists investors have mercies upon the LOCALS! yes Government eventually find itseslf being oriented with outsiders, how by allowing them to do whatever pleases them eg employing their own people preferrably the outside, exempting them from paying taxes, manipulating the local resources etc, then you find that the bred winners are the outsiders instead of the locals.
even those local employed finds themselves sucumbing to local salaries other thatn the international standards and the govt blesses it, look also the way they are firing them from their jobs, no contract, discriminations etc, please tourists investors have mercies upon the LOCALS!

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]]> By: robmeyer http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7390 robmeyer Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:54:19 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7390 I agree, awareness is key. Luckily, I think travelers are becoming much more aware of certain global situations (environmental degradation, poverty, class divides, etc.) and are spending the tourism dollars accordingly. There are new tourism niches popping up every month that promote ideas such as voluntourism, low-impact travel, alternate forms of transportation, etc. that are making it less profitable for tour companies to search and exploit, and more profitable to pursue more responsible and greener forms of travel. As long as we, the travelers, continue to develop in our demand for responsible alternatives to the traditional "visit, spend, exploit, and leave" strategy, I am very optimistic about the future of tourism and it's benefits for all involved, from top to bottom. I agree, awareness is key. Luckily, I think travelers are becoming much more aware of certain global situations (environmental degradation, poverty, class divides, etc.) and are spending the tourism dollars accordingly. There are new tourism niches popping up every month that promote ideas such as voluntourism, low-impact travel, alternate forms of transportation, etc. that are making it less profitable for tour companies to search and exploit, and more profitable to pursue more responsible and greener forms of travel. As long as we, the travelers, continue to develop in our demand for responsible alternatives to the traditional “visit, spend, exploit, and leave” strategy, I am very optimistic about the future of tourism and it’s benefits for all involved, from top to bottom.

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]]> By: Ian MacKenzie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/comment-page-1/#comment-7367 Ian MacKenzie Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:58:35 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/07/16/the-9-paradoxes-of-modern-tourism/#comment-7367 i agree, there's definitely a gray area between what is helpful with tourism, and what is destructive. i suppose that's really the challenge - cultivating awareness of how tourism affects culture and society, which in turn ideally urges travelers to tread lighter, and point their dollars in the right direction. i agree, there’s definitely a gray area between what is helpful with tourism, and what is destructive. i suppose that’s really the challenge – cultivating awareness of how tourism affects culture and society, which in turn ideally urges travelers to tread lighter, and point their dollars in the right direction.

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