Slum tours
Posted on May 15th, 2009 – 10:04 AMBy Elizabeth Larsen
I first came across the idea of slum tours in the most recent issue of Ode Magazine. It seems that visiting some of the world’s poorest communities in Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai and Nairobi is turning into a growing segment of the tourism industry. The article’s author endorses slum tours, writing that “the opportunity to interact with residents of the favelas [Rio’s slums] and witness their entrepreneurial spirit had a powerful effect. . . . Seeing how people live motivates us to action; ignoring poverty doesn’t make it go away.”
Others aren’t so sure: Writing on the blog Racialicious Wendi Muse says:
“Of course, I am thrilled that non-Brazilians are becoming more aware of the socio-economic divisions within Brazil’s major cities like Rio and São Paulo, and many of those who allow tourists to stay in their homes note how their visits may improve both the image and economy of Brazilian favelas (and their inhabitants). . . . I am not sure, however, if all will take away this educational message. After all, their experiences in the favelas are an adventure, a realistic video game where gunshots are heard, but the blood and dead bodies are absent.”
You can watch a video of a slum tour here.
What do you think? Are slum tours an enlightened way to create global awareness or voyeuristic adventures for people who can afford them?
2 Responses to "Slum tours"
It’s hard to care about people you don’t know and have never met. At it’s best, “slum tourism” lets you meet — maybe even like and admire — people who would otherwise be, at best, an abstraction.
I’ve never sought these experiences out in the past and generally avoided them. However, having attended worship services in Cairo’s Christian garbage collector community, I see the value in including the poorest of the poor on our travel itineraries. These are real people, not some abstract concept or unknowable other. Yes, a meaningful service project would be a better way to come to know and be of assistance to this side of the world, but for most of us, simply meeting real people and gaining a small understanding who they are and how they live is an important step.
Thanks so much for your thoughts. Can you tell us more about your experience in Cairo?
Kerri Westenberg has globe-trotted for National Geographic and other magazines. Now she zips around the region, on the lookout for travel news you can use.
Elizabeth Larsen lived in Salzburg, Austria, and has traveled throughout Europe and the Americas. She can say "diaper," "bottle" and "crib" in four languages.
Troy Melhus has heli-skied on glaciers, dived alongside Monk seals and raced for 24 hours on a mountain bike. All this, and he rarely spends more than $500 on a trip.