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Guilt-free Travel?
The Promise and Pitfalls of Ecotourism
by Bonnie Eslinger
 

Excerpts:

     In a picture of vivid contrasts, three women in South Africa pose before a white-washed wall on which thick black lines create geometric patterns filled with bright colors. Two of the women have skin the color of dark red clay; their necks are elongated with stacks of copper rings. Along with the traditional dress of their tribe, they wear wide, patient smiles.

     The white skin and blonde hair of the third woman look starkly pale by comparison. Between the two Ndebele women, she stands with long hair and legs, modeling a bathing suit that mimics the bold designs behind her.

     The designer swimwear is priced at $260. The woman who owns the house charged 700 Rand for the right to take pictures in front of it. At the current exchange rate, she made $113 . . .

. . . Although the Ndebele are known for the art painted on the walls of their homes, the older mural designs were painted with natural dyes in less eye-catching earth colors. Only recently have tribe members turned to using the brighter paints. Some say the sharp designs represent items introduced to them through contact with white travelers . . .

 . . . For citizens of industrialized countries, a rise in disposable time and income, along with a decrease in air costs and accommodations, has supported the creation of inroads for cultural exchange. But not all such exchanges are fair. What is just compensation for intrusion? What’s the price for changing another person’s way of life? Can anyone calculate the cost of our impact on the environment?

     For those who struggle with such dilemmas, ecotourism would seem to pave a more thoughtful path into environmentally- and culturally-sensitive lands than the superhighways of mass tourism. But not all “ecotours” are created equal. Indeed, as one tour organizer put it, ecotourism on an international level is an oxymoron, and those who travel thousands of miles on a wide-bodied jet to get close to nature defy the very ideals of the premise . . .

. . .

 . . .  In Northern Thailand, ecotourism in Baan Wat Chan, the country’s last remaining patch of virgin pine forest, has sparked controversy with one indigenous tribe because its members consider the project a sacrilege. According to tradition, members of the Karen hill tribe are not allowed to cut down a single tree. Although the country’s Agricultural Ministry feels promoting tourism within the national parks will benefit the people, tribe members say they’re not interested in becoming a “human zoo” and relying on trickle-down revenues that will rob them of their self-reliance.

    “Trek remote trails through subtropical forests and stay in the homes of the hill tribe villagers,” promises one United States-based tour company   . . .

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