Tourist nirvana

Negotiating minefields in foreign countries is not what it used to be. Instead of buried explosives, you’re more likely to be navigating your way through a hotbed of cultural taboos and political tensions on your next holiday. It’s no longer as simple as ‘don’t mention the war’ in Germany. Now it’s ‘don’t mention the war in Iraq, the health care system, or the Muslim faith’ in the USA. And that’s just the start of it.

Travelling, alas, is no longer a mindless and expensive way to amuse yourself. The modern traveller must negotiate carbon offsets, government travel warnings and appropriate dress codes before leaving the country. And once you arrive at your destination the opportunities to offend local customs, damage the environment and perpetuate corrupt regimes really begin to multiply.

Nowhere is the struggle to be a politically correct holidaymaker more challenging than in Burma. Burma has long been a tourist destination for those seeking an unspoilt experience of ‘old’ Asia. A major reason for Burma’s isolation is that the country has been ruled by a military junta since 1988. The junta is responsible for many human rights abuses, including forced labour in the construction of hotels, roads and tourist facilities.

Nobel laureate and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly urged tourists to boycott Burma, in the hope that isolation will force Burma’s military leaders to loosen their grip on the country. But by taking your tourist dollar elsewhere, locals who depend on tourism for their livelihoods also suffer.

Fiji has also suffered from the whims of tourists. Since Fiji’s military coup in 2006, tourist arrivals have decreased by 7.2%, causing job losses and a downturn in the island’s economy. Cherill Watson of the Fiji Islands Visitors Bureau says this is undeserved, as ‘at no time since has there been any violence in Fiji. Think about the tangible unrest experienced in so many other tourist destinations.’

Alternately, destinations can suffer from too much tourism. Giant resorts in Tahiti, overcrowding in Phuket, locals fleeing the tourist scourges in Venice. At any of these much-loved destinations, you could find the sights obscured by all the camera-toting, sandal-wearing day-trippers in the way. National Geographic’s Traveler magazine warns that ‘in many travel paradises greed and shortsightedness still rule.’ Too much tourism can endanger animal species, pollute the environment and marginalise locals in their own home. Having created the problem in the first place, it’s up to travellers to affect change.

Geotourism is a method of travel that focuses on sustaining or enhancing the character of a place. It’s about respecting and protecting the beauty of a destination—‘its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the wellbeing of its residents,’ according to National Geographic. Geotourism is a kind of holiday nirvana where everyone benefits—visitors and locals alike. And like nirvana, it seems unattainable.

Doubts have often been cast on the sensibilities of the average tourist—‘It's only the politically aware travellers that are likely to take any notice of a travel boycott and there's not many of them. Ultimately, most people just want to go on a nice holiday,’ says Satu Raunola of the Association of National Tourist Office Representatives.

By choosing locally owned accommodation and being mindful of cultural sensitivities and environmental impact, tourists have the ability to impact positively on their chosen destination.

Volunteering on a project that provides infrastructure for disadvantaged communities is a rewarding way to have a great holiday with a greater impact. Experiencing local culture, music and food can also leave behind some very well spent tourist dollars. At times, the path of tourist nirvana also means avoiding particular hotels, sites and countries in order to avoid funding unsustainable tourism management or corrupt regimes.

It may be tempting to ignore political tensions and human rights abuses in favour of a mindlessly enjoyable holiday. But with better information, better travel is possible—for tourists and locals alike.

How do I know this?

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2007, Smart Traveller, http://www.smartraveller.gov.au  

Chesshyre, T 2007, ‘Burma visits rise over past decade’, The Times, 29 September, http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/
life_and_style/travel/news/article2550704.ece  

Elliot, T 2007, ‘To boycott or not?’, The Sydney Morning Herald (Travel), 22 September, http://www.smh.com.au/news/tips/to-boycott-or-not/2007/09/20/1189881663731.html

Escape 2007, ‘Refunds for Burma travellers’, The Herald Sun (Escape), 14 October, pg.24.

Lonely Planet 2007, ‘Lonely Planet Survey reveals travellers interest in sustainable travel options’, Press release, 8 August, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/pressroom/news/press_release.cfm?press_release_id=313  

Moncrief, M 2007, ‘Travel guide accused of supporting Burmese junta’, The Sydney Morning Herald (Travel), 2 October, http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/travel-guide-accused-of-supporting-burmese-junta/2007/10/01/1191091071447.html  

Morrison, K 2007, ‘We are in this lovely hotel looking down on a war zone’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 September, pg.1

National Geographic. 2007, National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/index.html  


Dwyer, E 2007, ‘Loved to Death?’, The Sydney Morning Herald (Travel), 23 September, http://www.smh.com.au/news/pacific-islands/loved-to-death/2007/09/20/1189881667177.html  

Oliver, B 2007, ‘Watch this place’, The Weekend Australian (Travel), 6 October, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,22532311-5002031,00.html?from=public_rss  

Ross, D 2007, ‘Burma bleeding’, Bangkok Post, 4 October, http://www.bangkokpost.com/041007_Horizons/
04Oct2007_hori05.php  

Tourtellot, J 2004, ‘Destination Scorecard’, National Geographic Traveler, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/scorecard/  

Urquhart, C 2007, ‘Boycott the boycotters: get that flight to Burma’, The Times, 5 October, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/
guest_contributors/article2591938.ece  

Voices for Burma. 2007, The Tourism Debate, http://www.voicesforburma.org/tourism