[Backstage-list] A War on Tourism

[Michael Zinganel]

Von: J Becker <plaann at gmx.net>
Datum: 26. Juli 2005 15:19:34 MESZ
An: backstage-list at shark.mur.at
Betreff: A War on Tourism
>>  
>> 
>> John Horvath 21.07.2005
>> A War on Tourism
>> Looking on the other side of terrorism
>> 
>> While the recent bombing of a tourist bus in Turkey was not on the scale of
>> what happened over two weeks ago in London, it nevertheless is a potent
>> reminder of some uncomfortable facts. Firstly, terrorism is not the exclusive
>> preserve of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, Arabs, or Muslims. Although there has
>> been no claim of responsibility for the latest bombing in Turkey, to most
>> observers it's almost certain that it's the work of a Kurdish separatist
>> group. 
>> 
>> Secondly, apart from not fitting the profile of "terrorists" perpetuated by
>> western politicians and the mass media, the fact that other ethnic groups and
>> followers of other religions use terror as a means to an end raises further
>> difficulties for those who subscribe to George W. Bush's simplistic but
>> catchy notion of a "war on terror". To make matters worse, some of these
>> groups are actually the allies of the west, or at least regarded as those in
>> need of western help, and therefore provide (or have provided) the
>> justification for "humanitarian intervention".
>> 
>>  The Albanians in Kosovo and the Kurds in Iraq are two examples of this. In
>> some cases, as in Kosovo, the victims have become the perpetrators, and are
>> now a source of embarrassment for western governments, as in Kosovo. Then
>> again, no one really pays attention to Kosovo anymore, so political leaders
>> aren't really worried about their failure in the Balkans.
>> 
>>  Finally, there is an aspect to terrorism that goes beyond simply the Middle
>> East and the quest for secure oil supplies. While politicians in the west may
>> be fond of fighting a losing war on terror, many radical groups in the east
>> are successfully waging their own war -- a war on tourism.
>> 
>>  The plague of tourism
>>  If we take a close look at inter-cultural relations, we shouldn't be
>> surprised to find that mass tourism is one of the main reasons why we have
>> some of the problems we now face. As the cutting edge of imperialism and
>> globalisation, mass tourism has contributed both directly and indirectly to
>> the unequal distribution of wealth in developing countries, environmental
>> degradation, and the debasement of local cultures.
>> 
>>  While the Bali bombing and other acts of terrorism have been linked to
>> al-Qaeda, the fact of the matter is such attacks have been common well before
>> September 2001. It was only after this date that they were all suddenly
>> painted with the name and face of Osama bin Laden. Abu Sayf have always
>> looked to tourists on remote islands as an easy target for kidnappings in
>> order to generate income through ransom; the massacre at Luxor in Egypt,
>> meanwhile, showed that western tourists are not always welcome; and in
>> Columbia, kidnappings are of such regularity that it no longer makes headline
>> news. 
>> 
>>  Still, in the post-9/11 world there is no doubt that tourism is now more
>> severely affected by terrorism. One of the first priorities for Bush after
>> 9/11 was to pump money into the industry (especially the airlines) and to
>> launch a series of commercials to promote travel to and around the US. More
>> recently, in the immediate aftermath of the bombing in Istanbul on November
>> 20th, 2003, stocks in the tourism and airlines industry suffered losses.
>> 
>>  While not justifying such attacks against foreigners (and local enablers
>> alike), one just has to look at how the travel industry is set up to
>> understand the hostility many have toward foreign tourists. Mass tourism
>> threatens the fragile ecosystems of many idyllic areas. Ironically, mass
>> tourism inevitably wrecks the peace and tranquility that people set out to
>> enjoy. In the desperation to escape the hustle, bustle, noise and grime of
>> urban life, tourists end up replicating these same problems in their idyllic
>> holiday locations.
>> 
>>  A massive show of inequality
>>  Yet it's not just in Asia and other foreign destinations that the plague of
>> tourism is apparent. Millions of travellers to Europe's own beauty spots
>> endanger the continent's fragile ecosystems, not to mention snarl up the
>> roads. With tourism already accounting for 6% of jobs within the EU
>> (currently it employs over eight million Europeans), 9% of consumer spending,
>> and accounts for more than 5% of GDP in some areas, the question is of huge
>> economic as well as ecological importance. And the pressure on beauty spots
>> is certain to increase, with the World Tourism Organisation predicting that
>> the number of tourists arriving in Europe will double to 720 million per year
>> by 2020. 
>> 
>>  Aside from all this, there are also huge social costs, and these are often
>> acutely felt in developing countries. Club Med is perhaps the most
>> horrendous, as it sets up walled compounds to isolate rich travellers from
>> the poor locals. Other tour operators have similar systems in place. Not only
>> does this introduce a massive show of inequality, in many cases so-called
>> "folklore" performances tend to undermine and even belittle the authenticity
>> of local cultures and traditions.
>> 
>>  All this is facilitated by the present wave of globalisation. Countries
>> whose local industries have been destroyed by global capitalism are being
>> persuaded to shift their focus and resources to that of a "service" economy.
>> Along these lines, mass tourism plays a huge part. As a result, so-called
>> "development" is geared to making areas more tourist friendly and not
>> actually developing a region or area for the immediate benefit of the local
>> population. Likewise, people are trained to participate in this new
>> "industry" rather than taught to set up their own, independent enterprises.
>> Thus, when the number of tourists decline due to political, economic,
>> geological, or meteorological events, not only do tourist-based industries
>> suffer, but wider government policy as well.
>> 
>>  In order to secure an increasing number of tourists coming to the country,
>> government policies sometimes teeter on the brink of absurdity. In Hungary,
>> for instance, a plan put forward by successive governments to overcome rural
>> decay and depression was to promote "village tourism" on a large scale. Part
>> of the program included foreign language courses for villagers. Another
>> program sought to develop thermal baths, resulting in almost every small town
>> and village in the Galga valley (which lies just east of Budapest) to
>> seriously consider -- and even plan for -- such a tourist attraction, even
>> though the area is not known for thermal baths.
>> 
>>  But it's not only tourism in the form of foreigners in search of sand, sea,
>> and sex which is having a negative impact. Elite tourism, as in the case of
>> some sport events such as golf, also leaves a scar. In fact, the expansion of
>> luxurious golf courses for the privileged few has even led to stresses in
>> some western countries as well. In 1991 Canada called out the troops to end a
>> blockade of bridges to the island of Montreal by indigenous people who were
>> protesting the plan for a golf course on their land. Similar protests and
>> confrontations have been witnessed elsewhere, mainly in under-developed
>> countries. 
>> 
>>  From the "Grand Tour" to mass tourism
>>  While mass tourism provides an extravagant display of wealth, exacerbating
>> the inequalities which exist as well as forging new ones, it initially began
>> as something completely different. While it's hard to point to an exact date
>> when the notion of "tourism" began, as there have always been travellers in
>> the past (e.g., Marco Polo), it is generally accepted that tourism as we know
>> it today began with what was called "The Grand Tour". The success of Thomas
>> Coryat's book "Coryat's Crudities" is often credited with starting the craze
>> for the Grand Tour.
>> 
>>  In the 18th century, the Grand Tour was a kind of education for wealthy
>> British noblemen. It was a period of European travel which could last from a
>> few months to 8 years. During the Tour, young men learned about the politics,
>> culture, art, and antiquities of neighboring countries. They spent their time
>> sightseeing, studying, and shopping. Italy, with its heritage of ancient
>> Roman monuments, became one of the most popular places to visit. Sometimes,
>> the trip south was as liberating sexually as it was aesthetically. Likewise,
>> France at the time was at the height of style and sophistication, so young
>> men went there to throw off their coarse behavior and put on the polish that
>> set them apart as the aristocracy of Britain.
>> 
>>  During the 19th century, most educated young men took the Grand Tour. Later,
>> it became also fashionable for young women. A trip to Italy with a spinster
>> aunt as chaperon was part of an upper-class lady's education.
>> 
>>  Since that time, however, tourism has gradually evolved (and some might say
>> degraded) into the mass tourism we have at present. Yet, even among the
>> modern tourists of today there have been attempts to distinguish one group
>> from another. Many backpackers consider themselves to be "travellers" and not
>> "tourists", as if to highlight the fact that they are more culturally
>> sensitive. However, at the end of the day in most cases these "travellers"
>> are not much better than the so-called "tourists" they disdain.
>> 
>>  All this doesn't mean tourism is a bad thing, and that we should throw the
>> baby out with the bath water. For serious travellers, learning about cultural
>> traditions, past history and, most importantly, the local language or
>> languages, are a must. Ironically, modern technology has a role to play here.
>> Use of the Internet can help to promote cultural understanding and enhance
>> the tourist experience.
>> 
>>  In the end, a more social friendly form of tourism won't solve the enigma of
>> terrorism, nor will it guarantee that tourists and tourist attractions won't
>> become a target in future attacks. Sadly, in Europe both the Kurds in Turkey
>> and ETA in Spain use terror against tourists in their struggle against their
>> respective governments. On the other hand, if these and other countries
>> weren't so dependent on the tourist industry, then perhaps these targets
>> wouldn't be regarded as so desirable in the first place.
>> 
>> 
>> Telepolis Artikel-URL:  http://www.telepolis.de/r4/artikel/20/20552/1.html
>> 
>> Copyright © Heise Zeitschriften Verlag
>> 
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