Experience Poverty 1st Hand
Ben Preiss — August 28, 2007 — World
References: cities.expressindia & washingtonpost
Growing numbers of tourists are venturing into the slums and poverty stricken areas of the world to witness first hand the conditions of the local inhabitants. Top destinations include Soweto Township, South Africa and Dharavi, Mumbai, India's largest and most infamous slum. Is this some kind of sick voyeurism or a positive interest in helping the poor?
Implications - Vacations will always be an attractive prospect to consumers living in today's chaotic society; however, the nature of today's wide, open world makes for a stronger demand for unconventional, hyper-exotic destinations that allow for mental and physical escape. Thus, the least expected kinds of vacations are becoming prevalent as they are as far away from reality as a consumer can get.
Implications - Vacations will always be an attractive prospect to consumers living in today's chaotic society; however, the nature of today's wide, open world makes for a stronger demand for unconventional, hyper-exotic destinations that allow for mental and physical escape. Thus, the least expected kinds of vacations are becoming prevalent as they are as far away from reality as a consumer can get.
Trend Themes
1. Poverty Tourism - Growing numbers of tourists are venturing into the slums and poverty stricken areas of the world to witness first hand the conditions of the local inhabitants, creating an opportunity for travel companies to develop responsible and sustainable poverty tourism packages.
2. Experiential Tourism - The demand for unconventional, hyper-exotic destinations that allow for mental and physical escape is on the rise, leading to the emergence of experiential tourism that can take travelers off the beaten path and provide unique and impactful experiences.
3. Ethical Tourism - The trend of poverty tourism raises questions around the ethics of such travel, creating a need for ethical tourism practices and guidelines that ensure the protection and empowerment of the local communities.
Industry Implications
1. Travel and Tourism - The travel and tourism industry can leverage the growing demand for poverty tourism and experiential tourism to create responsible and sustainable tourism packages that offer unique experiences while benefiting the local communities.
2. Social Impact - The trend of poverty tourism creates opportunities for social impact industries to work with local communities and tourism operators to develop impactful and sustainable solutions that improve the living conditions of the local inhabitants.
3. Responsible Business - The emergence of ethical tourism practices presents an opportunity for businesses to showcase their commitment to responsible and ethical business practices by implementing guidelines that ensure the protection and empowerment of local communities.
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