ALLEGHENY COLLEGE POLITICAL SCIENCE 610 SENIOR PROJECT Sarah Bock Slum Tourism: A Viable Model for Reducing Inequality Department of Political Science April 12,2010 Page 1 of 86 Sarah Bock Slum Tourism: A Viable Model for Reducing Inequality Submitted to the Department of Political Science of Allegheny College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. I hereby recognize and pledge to fulfill my responsibilities as defined in the Honor Code and to maintain the integrity of both myself and the College community as a whole. ____________________________________ Sarah Bock ____________________________________ HONOR CODE SIGNATURE Approved by: ____________________________ Michael Maniates ____________________________ Shannan Mattiace Page 2 of 86 Table of Contents Introduction 1 Chapter One- Modern Tourism- What is the Big Problem? 8 Economic Impacts on Developing Countries 9 Social and Cultural Impacts- Commoditization and the Gaze 19 Alternative Tourism- A Glimmer of Hope? 24 Chapter Two- Arguments Surrounding the Practice of Slum Tourism 27 Advocates 28 Critics 32 Slum Tourism- Can it bring about real change? 39 Chapter Three- Slum Tourism- An in Depth Look 41 Favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 42 Dharavi Slums in Mumbai, India 50 Slum Tourism in North America 57 Chapter Four- Where do we go from here? 60 Similarities and Differences 61 What are the options? 66 Conclusion 71 Page 3 of 86 List of Figures and Images Figure 1.1 Tourism 2020 Vision of Tourism Growth 11 Image 1.1 Favela Tour Photograph 42 Image 1.2 Dharavi Slum Tour Photograph 50 Page 4 of 86 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people, without them my work would not have been possible. To my friends and family and constantly answered the question, “Do you think Slum Tourism is ethical?” My best friend for proofreading my terrible grammar. Professor Maniates and Professor Mattiace for your guidance, criticism and patience. David Fennell, Rob Verger, and Larry Turner for your help and participation. Beauty Turner for her passion. and to the residents of slums all around the world: ―We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.‖- Oscar Wilde Page 5 of 86 Introduction Many people look forward to that special time when they are able to go on vacation. They think about removing themselves from the stress of their everyday lives, while discovering some new and exciting destination along the way. Some dream of relaxing on a tropical beach, getting a tan, and sipping a few margaritas: while others attempt to cram in as much sight-seeing as possible during their short holiday. Few people truly ponder what goes on behind the scenes for them to experience the perfect vacation. Tourism scholars have been unable to agree upon a single definition of the word tourism. According to Adrian Bull‘s definition, tourists are ―temporary visitors to a country staying at least twenty-four hours, for the purposes of leisure or business‖ (Bull, 1995, p.2). Mathieson and Wall define tourism as, ―the temporary movement of people to destinations outside their normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay in their destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs‖ (―Parks and Recreation Homepage‖, 2009). Although these definitions are not universally agreed upon, they offer a foundation for discussion on the topic. When most people take a vacation they do so for two main reasons- education or leisure. Traveling is a great way to explore new places, learn about different cultures, and discover more about yourself. Being surrounded by diverse customs and traditions creates exposure to a way of life that differs from your own. One of the perceived goals of tourism is that once having visited a distant place tourists will take away something that they did not previously have. Tourism is able to create common understandings between cultures and further move us to a more globalized world. According to Victor Azarya, the growth in international tourism can be Page 6 of 86 directly linked to Globalization. He states, ―Tourism is both a cause and a consequence of globalization. It accelerates the convergent tendencies in the world. Not only do people meet and learn from each other, but goods and services also travel and are diffused throughout the globe to cater to the needs and demands of travelers‖ (Azarya, 2004, p.949). With growth and accessibility of technology on a universal scale, the world is more connected than ever. Using resources like the internet, someone in Fresno, California can plan a complete vacation to Cape Town, South Africa with the click of a button. In the past, traveling was limited to the elite class, who could afford a life filled with jet-setting around the world. Today travel rates seem to be lower than ever and traveling is easily accessible to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. When describing the growth in the international tourism industry Azarya writes, ―The 2002 figures supplied by the World Tourism Organization show that the growth of international tourism rebounded from the crisis caused by the September 11, 2001 attack and the general fear of international terrorism. By 2002, international tourist arrivals passed the 700 million mark‖ (Azarya, 2004, p.950). Family vacations to the Caribbean are no longer only reserved for the wealthy all over the world. For every definition of a tourist, there is somehow out there trying to prove they are the antithesis of the stereotype. Being a tourist has obtained such a negative connotation that ―new and improved‖ versions of tourism have been created. Alternative tourism provides hope that options are out there for people seeking something other than mass charter busses herding people from one location to another. The phrase alternative tourism serves as an umbrella term for many different other types of tourism. Adventure tours, Ecotourism, Cultural Tourism and Page 7 of 86 Reality Tourism all fit into the category of alternative tourism, in which a key goal is to provide a more sustainable tourism model for the future. In recent years the concept of Pro-poor Tourism has risen in popularity. Pro-poor tourism is defined as, ―tourism that results in increased net benefits for poor people. It is an approach to tourism development and management. It enhances the linkages between tourism businesses and poor people; so that tourism‘s contribution to poverty reduction is increased and poor people are able to participate more effectively in product development‖ (―Pro Poor Tourism‖, 2009). The goal of this type of tourism is to promote the economic growth of countries by introducing tourism as a model for success. Once introduced to the tourism industry impoverished countries will gain independence from other more developed countries. It is thought that if these opportunities are made available to those living in poverty, they will gain the skills necessary to remove themselves from their current living situations. This type of tourism can positively impact the lives of individuals in many different ways. Two of the most common approaches are economic benefits and livelihood (non- monetary) benefits. Some of the most important aspects that these types of tourism can contribute economically affect both the individual and the community. This type of tourism can increase local employment and wages for the individual residents. But, it can also increase opportunities for local businesses to grow and develop. These two concepts create revenue for the local community through the forms of taxes and other collective budgets. Ideally, individuals become empowered because they are the ones making active decisions that affect their life. Communities have the opportunity to benefit because tourism can open opportunities for access to important services. Health care, clean drinking water and transportation can all greatly be Page 8 of 86 improved if direct money is being allocated into a community. These programs also empower and create participation on a larger community scale. Information distribution and communication is improved and policy changes can be implemented. If a community grows economically and gains power, they have more leverage in making decisions that positively affect them. (―Pro Poor Tourism‖, 2009) Due to the focus it emphasizes on giving power to the powerless, Pro-poor tourism can positively affect the lives of those living in the most impoverished areas of the world if they are willing to develop their areas as a tourist destination. Local economic development is essential to the growth of these developing areas. As communities develop due to growth in the tourism sector they become empowered and make collective decisions that benefit the common good. In a case study conducted in South Africa, it has been found that: The area has subsequently charged local governments with promoting economic and social well-being and introducing development and job-creation endeavors in the areas under their jurisdiction. The result has been the emergence of a range of recently initiated projects, with some of the most common ventures being: public works programs; local procurement and small-business promotion strategies; support for both formal and informal business; and efforts to encourage tourism- based development (Binns & Nel, 2002, p.237). Pro-poor tourism can create opportunities for developing areas to gain the voice they have been lacking in the past. By creating these new opportunities and allowing the local communities to make decisions that directly affect them; they will be able to choose what they wish to see happen to their community. Under the category of Pro-poor tourism, the subject of Slum tourism is one of the most controversial topics in tourism studies. Slum tourism is when visitors take guided tours of impoverished areas or slums for a fee. There are two main viewpoints when discussing the slum Page 9 of 86 tourism industry.