Slum Tourism in the Context of the Tourism and Poverty (Relief) Debate

Vol. 144, No. 2 · Research article Slum tourism in the context of the DIE ERDE Journal of the tourism and poverty (relief) debate Geographical Society of Berlin Fabian Frenzel1 1 School of Management, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, England, [email protected] Manuscript submitted: 31 May 2012 / Accepted for publication: 11 July 2013 / Published online: 19 November 2013 Abstract The paper examines the role of slum tourism in poverty relief. To do so, it surveys the state-of-the-art literature on tourism and poverty and investigates the ways in which slum tourism research relates to this literature. Slum tourism research has addressed the question of how the poor may benefit from this practice; however, these efforts have not systematically considered the general debate on tourism and poverty relief. The survey of slum tourism research also contributes to the conceptual development of the tourism-poverty nexus. The predominant choice of approaches in this field relies on quantitative indicators of poverty relief, but these do not sufficiently account for the multi -dimensional character of poverty. The study of slum tourism research points to the multi-dimensional valorisa- tion of poverty in tourism which is an aspect often overlooked in the state-of-the-art research on tourism and poverty. Zusammenfassung Der Artikel untersucht die Rolle des Slumtourismus bei der Armutsbekämpfung. Dazu wird der Stand in der Li teratur zum Thema Tourismus und Armut dargestellt und überprüft, inwieweit sich die Forschung zu Slum tourismus auf diese Literatur bezieht. Die Slumtourismusforschung hat zwar die Frage aufgeworfen, in welcher Armut nicht systematisch berücksichtigt. Der Überblick über die Slumtourismusforschung trägt darüber hinaus auchWeise zur die Weiterentwicklung Armen von dieser Aktivität des Konzepts profitieren, ‚Tourismus jedoch und wurde Armut‘ dabei bei. die Die allgemeine vorherrschenden Diskussion Ansätze zu Tourismus auf diesem und von Armut nicht gerecht. Die Untersuchung der Slumtourismusforschung verweist auf die viel schichtige Inwert Gebiet gründen sich auf quantitative Armutsindikatoren, diese werden jedoch dem mehrdimensio nalen Charakter setzung von Armut durch Tourismus, ein häufig übersehener Aspekt in der Literatur zu Tou rismus und Armut. Keywords Slum tourism, poverty, poverty alleviation 1. Introduction to poverty relief. Slum tourism promoters, tour provi ders as well as tourists claim that this form of tour Slum tourism is on the rise across the developing ism contributes to development in slums by creating a world and it remains a contentious and muchdebated variety of potential sources of income and other non leisure practice. While critics maintain that visiting slums is voyeuristic (see Butler 2012 for an overview on the basis of similar arguments local governments of the arguments), proponents often link slum tourism inmaterial more developedbenefits. In slum line tourismwith these locations assessments encourage and Frenzel, Fabian 2013: Slum tourism in the context of the tourism and poverty (relief) debate. – DIE ERDE 144 (2): 117128 DOI: 10.12854/erde1449 DIE ERDE · Vol. 144 · 2/2013 117 Slum tourism in the context of the tourism and poverty (relief) debate and support slum tourism as a development strategy. tourism perhaps deal with the problem of poverty by In the ethical debates on slum tourism, its apparent making poverty unproblematic? Such negative assess ments are set against more positive ones. gument, slum tourism proponents tap into the claim thateconomic tourism benefit can isbe most a solution frequently to underdevelopment evoked. In this ar Slum tourism does not occur in all poor areas of the and poverty, a view that sees tourism as a moderni and the study of these conditions is one of the key questionsworld, but for develops slum tourism under veryresearch specific (Frenzel conditions, 2012). argumentssation strategy have for been least frequently developed contested (LDC) and and develo critics One of these conditions seems to be linked to pio haveping countriespointed to (DC). the limits In the of last tourism 40 years, as a however, development such Scheyvens and antipoverty strategy (Scheyvens 2007, 2011; Hall 2007). In the most comprehensive review of the de movementneering visits (Higgins-Desbiolles to slums by justice 2008, tourists 2009b) ( triggered bate to date, Scheyvens (2011) concludes that a care slum2002). tourism Events developmentof political tourism in three of ofthe its global mayor justice glob al destinations, in the townships of South Africa, in earlier generalisations. She warns against a blanket Rio de Janeiro and in Nairobi in Kenya (Frenzel 2012). assumptionful evaluation of ofthe specific use and initiatives usefulness needs of tou to rism replace as a Does slum tourism arise from visits by political tour tourism there have been multiple attempts to evaluate itsdevelopment potential to strategy. relieve poverty;In academic however, reflections both aon link slum to velopsists interested into a broader in pursuing consumer global justiceleisure andpractice equity? of slumDo its tourism political in rootssome remaindestinations? as justice These tourism questions de a synthesis of the approaches is lacking. about the political nature of slum tourism point to existing debates in the broader tourism field as well as an important and yet generally overlooked aspect of the ‘tourism and poverty nexus’ (Scheyvens 2011), surveying existing research of slum tourism’s role in povertyThe purpose relief of in this the papercontext is ofto broader address discussions this deficit onby tions of poverty differ greatly between approaches. namely that poverty is a political problem. Defini cantly over the last 30 years both in size and range of or as multidimensional, to mention the most impor destinations,tourism and poverty. however Slum it remains tourism a hasniche grown form signifiof tou Poverty is defined as absolute or relative, as material relate to how poverty (and therefore poverty relief) is Despite this niche character in proportional terms, I tant perspectives. These definitions in the literature rism in comparison to overall tourism in LDC and DCs. ures produce. Poverty is also socially constructed as the study of tourism and poverty because slum tou identified and measured and what results such meas rismargue has that a specialslum tourism relationship offers to specific poverty. insights This is preinto dominantly so because in slum tourism poverty is not cala problem, debates. and Poverty the specific alleviation ways today in which is a theuniversal prob aim,lem isan constructed enshrined ethical open up and a spacepolitical for targetfierce acrosspoliti Rather, poverty itself becomes the main attraction of the world regardless of context and situation. At the thejust destinationa more or less and accidental is central conditionto the discourses of the locale. that same time, poverty appears to result from economic constitute the slum tourism experience (Rolfes 2009; and political arrangements that are broadly defended Meschkank 2010; Dyson 2012). The perspectives on and supported. Poverty alleviation is therefore also poverty relief in slum tourism differ to those in other a political question, with a discursive history as the ‘social question’ (Arendt 2006) that is increasingly include the muchobserved paradox about slum tour debated on a global scale (Frenzel 2012). formsism and of povertytourism alleviation:in LDC and IfDC. slum These tourism differences was a successful strategy for poverty mitigation, would it not Tourism studies’ approaches to poverty and poverty undermine its own premise (Steinbrink et al. 2012)? relief have to be understood in the context of this com More questions arise: As people pay to see poverty, plex debate (Scheyvens poverty becomes a commodity (Freire-Medeiros 2009) review the stateoftheart literature on tourism and and is valorised (Rolfes 2009). What implications does poverty relief. This review 2011). is structured In this paper along theI firstly later this have for the social construction of poverty in questions for the review of research on slum tourism slum tourism? Is slum tourism in some way rendering and poverty relief, namely what conceptions of poverty poverty into something valuable? Is poverty norma are considered and how poverty is quantitatively as lised and made acceptable in slum tourism? Does slum sessed. Moreover, I ask to what extent poverty is un 118 DIE ERDE · Vol. 144 · 2/2013 Slum tourism in the context of the tourism and poverty (relief) debate derstood as a political ‘social’ question and placed in From the 1970s onwards this approach has met with the context of the broader economic and political order. increasing scepticism. Scheyvens (2011) describes the views emanating from this period as the ‘critical ap poverty relief has been addressed in the context of slum proach’ to tourism as a tool for poverty reduction. The tourism.Following I surveyon from studies this reflection that have I attempted introduce tothe meas way ure slum tourism´s effect on poverty relief. In the exist ism development as well as a critical view on some of ing literature, slum tourism’s effects on poverty relief thecritics cultural were oftenimplications motivated of bythe a rejectionexpansion of of mass tourism, tour are mostly addressed on a case study basis. In review ing this literature conclusions can be drawn towards colonialism

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