Every so often you read news stories about political groups calling
for travel boycotts in certain areas. Usually they're places like
Myanmar and Cuba, but just last spring, we had one here in the U.S.
The NAACP asked tourists not to visit South Carolina because the
Confederate flag still flew at the state capitol. We received some
emails wanting to know more about the boycott and the larger issue of
socially responsible travel. What is it and should you travel to
places that aren't "politically correct"?
Well, for this week's Travelers' Aid segment, I got in touch with
photojournalist Richard I'Anson. He's a photographer based in the
Lonely Planet guidebook's Australia office. Richard's work often
takes him to places demanding a certain social and political
sensitivity. There are two countries within arm's reach of Australia,
Myanmar and Tibet, that are very controversial for travelers. Many
groups strongly object to the military dictatorship in Myanmar, as
well as to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. They say traveling to
those places supports the people in power. Richard, however, says he
disagrees with the concept of boycotting a specific destination.
There are also socially responsible tour companies out there. These
groups create trips aimed at understanding situations and problems
around the world and, they hope, bridge the gulf between traveler and
the local community. One of the biggest is Global Exchange, based in
San Francisco. Malia Everette plans many of their trips, which
they've dubbed "reality tours."
{ Travelers' Aid Index }
