Boycotting Tourist Destinations

[Kooky]

Minty's holiday plans reminded me - my hairdresser's just come back from Fiji and I said to him, half-jokingly, "ooh no, you're supposed to boycott Fiji!"

Does anybody make decisions on holidays bearing in mind things like the Fiji coup and aftermath?

I'm not trying to preach; I'm not even sure in my own mind what is the right thing to do - which I guess is why I'm asking the opinions of all you clever people.

(As with Bali post-bombs, is it the little people you are hurting by not going?)

[Lichtgestalt]

As a tourist you are bringing in money so you help the economy. There is always an upside to travel in such areas, same as traveling to countries with a dictatorship.

[Bender]

Does anybody make decisions on holidays bearing in mind things like the Fiji coup and aftermath?
bla bla...
is it the little people you are hurting by not going?

Offhand answer: I guess I'm influenced by the politics of a destination, but haven't given it much thought. If the 'little people' suffer from a tourism downturn as a result of their Government's actions, hopefully they'll know to blame their leaders and do something about it. After all, they can't do much to the tourists who aren't there.

[Scrummy Mummy]

I don't think I could go to Myanmar (and again that's not entirely logical) but if I never went places I didn't agree with the politics I'd never go anywhere.

Oooh, wouldn't go to Saudi either, but don't suppose I'm missing a great holiday there ......

[Pinklepurr]

It's a very difficult decision. I don't know that boycotting does any good at all. Surely there are other ways of helping out the people of the country/ies involved. Like the Bali example, is it better or worse to stay away? Fiji is the same.

[baloo]

Greenie Flower Sniffers

[Lili Von Shtupp]

I've been to Myanmar/Burma. I know a very renowned travel writer and someone who works for a major travel news publisher, both of them in the region, and we've had a few talks about it, and we all agree that tourists should go there. Send all the backpackers in and blow the doors off the place.

The downside is that people will be recognizing the authority of the junta that calls itself the government, and giving money to them.

The upside is, they will meet the Burmese people face to face - which will cause them to care as the Burmese will no longer be merely strangers in the newspaper. (a startling number speak English - they are taught in schools, who knew?) Travelers will buy their products and services which gives them financial incentive to pursue certain rights and freedoms. Travelers can chat with them about life and the world, which would give your average Burmese a reason to care about all of us who are living in the world outside.

The biggest problem I can see with tourism in Burma, really, is violence. It's a country embroiled in a civil war in the hills to the north and northeast. There's a lively drugs and guns trade, human trafficking and all sorts of other things happening in them hills. NOT a place for some deadbeat backpacker to go stamping around with a copy of Lonely Planet looking for an "authentic" Burmese opium experience. It's a country where the powers-that-be have been known to use bullets against demonstrating Buddhist monks.

I don't know if so-called constructive engagement works, Singapore and Malaysia have been involved in joint ventures with the government up there for years now and it's changed nothing. But for me, travel to that place would be more of a safety issue than a political one.

That said, the place is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. Bagan alone is drop dead gorgeous, temples on the horizon in every direction. I met some very chatty and extremely interesting Burmese people while I was there. The food was awful!

As for other controversial spots, I really have no experience or knowledge, only about this one place.

[Lichtgestalt]

I've been to Burma and North Korea, both which are dictatorships and not worth supporting. In both cases it was very worthwhile sightseeing wise and interesting to see the country itself. Burma isn't that closed off and the people know what's going on outside their country. Talking to the locals and bringing in (any form of) Western Culture helps undermining the regime and letting the people know that there is an outside world which is not like what they are used. In the case of North Korea it's very much limited to the guide you get. You are allowed to get in touch with locals but unless you speak Korean you are pretty much stuck.

I don't support people going to places where they need huge rescue efforts from the government later on, i.e. if you fancy having coffee next to the local Al Qaida warlord don't be surprised if you get kidnapped and dont expect your country to pay huge sums to get you out

[Fat Bob]

Well, if you went to Amnesty International, you'd probably find EVERY country in the world had certain crimes against humanity such as non-elected governments, people held without trial, people tortured.......where do you stop?

Australia: indigenous people's rights? Detention centres for refugees? Time to pack up and go kooky!

[FurBaby]

Singapore: death penalty and the Internal Security Act ...

[Kooky]

Exactly, Furby

Lichty - when I went to Nicaragua even the local tour guide was concerned to the point that he came in through immigration and customs to escort me through. The fact that he could do that without them batting an eyelid said a lot too, I thought.

It's a tough one, and it's good to know I'm not the only one that has trouble weighing it up. We have an office in Fiji, and elsewhere in the region, as we do a lot of work around there. I'd love to go and see some of it for myself...before it all disappears underwater.

Ta.

[sluggo]

Why does everyone say the food is bad in Myanmar. We had a great guide that took us to where the locals ate and it was fantastic and cheap. The local people definitely want people to travel there because they are hurting economically and desperately need the tourist trade to survive.

[Snaffled]

I booked and then cancelled a trip to Burma. The problem I had is that the vast majority of the tourist infrastructure is owned by the government, so the vast majority of my money would go to the government. In many other countries I've been to, the money that ends up with the government is balanced by the funds that go directly to the local economy, but in Burma the balance just wasn't there and I don't want my dollar so directly buying a bullet that blows a hole in someone. Hotel ownership, transport etc is all with government. The NDLP I believe also gently advises people not to visit, but this was a few years ago & may have changed.

I've no issues with others visiting and realise it is a more complex situation than this short post shows, but I just didn't feel comfortable with it. I am quite possibly irrational about the whole thing.

[BoD]

I have been to Burma, and did think carefully about it before I went. I agree with Snaffled in that it is unavoidable that some (or even a lot) of the money you spend in the country will go to the government, but some will not. The people there are genuinely happy to see tourists visiting their country. I think it is good to show the Burmese that people in other countries do care and are interested in what is going on in their country, and it is good for visitors to get a little first hand knowledge. Hopefully one day the Burmese government will change (or be changed) but the more we sit and try to ignore them, the longer this will take.

On balance, I do not regret going

[Morrolan]

i think dictatorships are great countries to visit because the corruption of officials and abject poverty of the locals allows you to get your hands on really good stuff like archeological items, art, precious stones and valuable resources for next to nothing.

Indonesia is hardly worth it anymore nowadays, unless you are able to work in bulk.

[Fat Bob]

Hmmm....just had a thought (after seeing the HSBC ad)....what about your investments? Purchased items? How many of them are made in states where oppression is rife?

And what are you views on oppressive regimes? How is the fijian regime in comparison to China? North Korea? Burma? So what makes you want to buy/visit/invest in those countries?

[Panama Hat]

i think dictatorships are great countries to visit because the corruption of officials and abject poverty of the locals allows you to get your hands on really good stuff like archeological items, art, precious stones and valuable resources for next to nothing.

Indonesia is hardly worth it anymore nowadays, unless you are able to work in bulk.

You must be a banker!


Yes, Burma for holidays and business, in certain sectors - like ours . . .

China? No way . . .

[Fat Bob]

Off to China in a few weeks time. Big work thing. There's a few Brits going from the company. No one has mentioned that the drug smuggler got shot being a reason not to go.

Must say, I've never wanted to visit China, my visit there in May 2009 proved that, and not overly impressed with going there again at least twice this year. Fun fun fun, eh?

[Mr Oz]

Singapore: death penalty and the Internal Security Act ...

Don't forget the democracy where the result is known before you vote cause there is only one candidate. Iran is more democratic... Oh don't think for one moment that if you protested you'd get humaner treatment. Though the international media might not report it or downplay it a bit.

Whether to boycott is purely political, got nothing to do with the people. Don't buy into the propaganda nonsense. Go to the place if you want to and don't if you have no interest. Make the decision based on your own personal reasons.

Singapore is a great place, great people who says fiji would not be any different? Just cause the media tells you their bad... Pfff...

[Burbage]

If the world refused to go to Burma, what hope would the Burmese people have?

Let's be brutally honest, the Burmese people are not suffering national slavery because of the actions of their military Junta. They are suffering because the rest of the world does nothing.

[Mr Oz]

They are suffering because the rest of the world does nothing.

and that's cause there is no oil there.

[Sardonicus]

Myanmar is one of the top places I've wanted to go for many years, but for whatever reason it's never happened, but not from any PC reasons not to. From what I've read hear it's time to go.

[azzam]

And because both India and China have great interest in maintaining some stability. Read gas and oil pipelines that serve both nations, military hardware sales, the "Friendship Road" that links the border of India with the rest of SE Asia and a picture starts to form.