There is no denying the fact that most dedicated adventure travelers love to visit destinations that are not just off the beaten path, but far from the tourist crowds. Our wanderings not only take us to remote places, but often to locations that few foreign visitors ever get the chance to see. But what if our travels actually take us to destinations that have been routinely shunned by the international community?
Places like North Korea, Iran, or Myanmar. Never mind if it is safe to travel there, is it ethical? Should we be spending our travel dollars to visit places that oppressive to their own people, don't value common human rights, or are seen as antagonists on the world stage.
That is the very subject of an interesting article written by Richard Bangs that was published recently at the Huffington Post.
His adventure travel company – Mountain Travel Sobek – recently announced that it would begin offering highly adventurous tours designed specifically for those looking for an amazing escape, but are short on time. The aptly named "Adventure Weeks" will take travelers on excursions to places like Alaska, Argentina, and Botswana, where they'll be treated to a wide variety of opportunities for adventure. But it was the announcement of the Discovering Burma tour that garnered some unexpected backlash.
In the HuffPo article, Bangs reveals that he has received letters urging him to not lead a tour to Burma, or Myanmar as it is also known. The government there has a reputation for being oppressive to its own people, heavily restricting their rights and ability to even move about freely in their own country.
There have been some accusations about ethnic cleansing, and human rights violations against the Muslim minority that lives there as well. There are some who feel that by leading a tour to Burma, Mountain Travel Sobek is in a sense supporting the government there by helping to line their coffers.
But Bangs makes a case that very little of the money spent on these types of tours actually goes to the government, and that the exposure to a foreign culture – both by the travelers themselves and the indigenous people living there – does far more good.
By meeting and interacting with each other, both parties come away with a better understanding of one another, which ultimately helps to improve relations and perceptions of cultures.
A legend in the travel industry, Bangs is no stranger to this type of controversy. He says that he first encountered resistance of this type when he led tours to China back in the 70's. It became an issue again when he first took tour groups to North Korea as well, a country that remains almost entirely cut off from the outside world. But on those tours he saw first hand how foreign visitors can help break down barriers, while also learning about a place that they have misconceptions about themselves.
After reading Bang's article, I have to say that he and I share a similar stance. Travel is a great vehicle for improving relations and providing a deeper understand of the people and culture of a destination, regardless of the political stances of a country's government. All too often, travelers discover that there is a big difference between the citizens that live in a place, and the people that govern over them, and that often leads to surprising connections.
I experienced this first hand when I visited Egypt for the first time back in 2003. It wasn't long after the U.S. had invaded Iraq, and tensions in the Middle East were running high. There were definitely some strong feelings about the United States at the time, but the Egyptian people that I spoke with knew that the U.S. government and the American people were two very different entities. As a result, I found myself having some very enlightening conversations with the locals, and I think they appreciated my perspective on the whole affair as well.
Beyond just delivering a better mutual understanding of one another, travel and tourism can also be a great boon for local economies. By visiting some of these places ourselves we can help contribute to improving the fortunes of the people who live in these places. Sure, some of the money we spend while traveling in another country does end up with the government there, but a substantial part of it also helps the people we interact with too. Our money not only feed their families, but pays for their homes, and improves their health care and education too. This can result in an improved standard of living for people who may not have had similar opportunities otherwise.
Of course, I completely understand why some people wouldn't want to go to places like North Korea or Burma do the political climates there. I respect that stance, even if I don't necessarily agree with it. I'd much rather try to foster a higher level of understanding between our cultures, which in the long run could start to improve relations and open doors to a better standard of living. It could even lead to a regime change or easing of tensions between governments. But it all starts with an exchange of ideas, values, and cultures, something that can't happen if we don't go at all.
Where do you stand on this issue? Is it ethical to visit these places, or should we take our dollars elsewhere. Tell me what you think at kungfujedi@gmail.com.
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