Building the Tourist Trap: the Backpackers’ Dilemma

---

• Tweet

• Tweet

The intrigue of the unknown lies in not knowing. In addition to sightseeing, eating exotic food and partying in strange places, the draw of traveling is discovery. Finding that little town untouched by the things you hated back home. Whether you’re basking in the rays of the sun on a secluded, remote beach or participating in an ancient tribal ritual with no Starbucks or McDonald’s in sight, there is a thrill in finding something undiscovered; a secret. As humans, we’re terrible at keeping secrets and upon return from paradise, we tell everyone we know about it. The word spreads, people crowd that remote beach and videos of the tribal ritual explode on youtube. In this manner, the traveler’s dilemma emerges: How can the qualities of the unknown be preserved when confronted with globalization?

The truth is, a large portion of the world is tourist trapped. Meaning, places that were once remote and undiscovered have lost their uniqueness by accommodating to the perceived needs of visitors from other countries. Lots of tourists laying around on a beach in Bali necessitates a luxury hotel where there would otherwise be a beach shack. Poorer countries see new tourists as sources of income. It isn’t the locals that shape the way tourist accommodations develop. Locals have homes in the countries where they live and don’t book rooms at luxury hotels or eat in hotel restaurants, tourists do. Just the word accommodations evokes the idea of “hey, this was built for YOU to use, not because we need it.”

The same goes for food. Although some argue that the American distaste for foreign delicacies (i.e. fried tarantula in Cambodia or cow head in South Africa) isn’t the reason for the opening of McDonald’s in such places and that locals actually choose to eat at these “restaurants”, we beg to differ. Big businesses tell us what to eat, drink and choose every day because, unfortunately, money has power. When McDonald’s sets their quarterly goals to tap into new customer markets, the governments of places like Cambodia do not stand a chance.

Micky Dees’ biceps are stronger in the arm wrestle for opening the western giant, cultural-cuisine-killing, chain and as this corporation has convinced Americans that eating shit-ridden burgers is something we want to do and often, we’re sure it won’t take much to spread their message to the rest of the world. We’re not saying everything American is evil (certain things undeniably are) and we’re not saying every other country in the world is weak under American influence and must be protected; only that there is a way to travel that’s smarter and more conducive to sustaining local culture.

 

Deconstructing the Tourist Trap:

What do backpackers have to do with tourists? Absolutely everything. Backpackers test the waters of interesting, remote and less visited destinations. Upon return, we talk and inspire others to go and so it spreads. We are the seeds of tourism and are inadvertently the creators of tourists traps. So do we just keep places we’ve seen secret to prevent tourist traps? Never going to happen. But here are a few solutions to the dilemma to consider:

• Show the locals that the right way to cater to you isn’t to make things more American; that maintaining their cultural differences is what you want. Eat like a native, party like a local; you can have burgers and hot dogs when you come back to the states.

• Sensitivity to cultural norms matters. Foreign customs may be wildly different from your own but that’s just it, they’re different, not wrong. So you have to bow in Asian cultures instead of shaking hands or hugging, big deal.

• Reconsider the way you see things-get a wider lens to include more. The more you see, the more you have to draw from when making decisions. Traveling to various places develops a certain perspective that’s unattainable by sitting in one place and browsing travel pictures. Choose destinations that are different from each other to get a wide array of customs, traditions, foods, sights and sounds under your belt.

• Read about places and their customs before you visit. It will not only save you a lot of embarrassment when it comes to dinner table etiquette (heads up: burping at the dinner table in both Sweden and Hong Kong are considered compliments to the chef, so don’t freak out) but also allows you to be educated in your actions when you’re in the country.

Globalization was inevitable the day Columbus set sail. Where we stand now, more than 500 years later, with the speed of the internet dispensing information about places previously unknown, is pivotal. Thailand is trapped; most of Europe is trapped. And now Latin America. Sure there are good things coming out of the inter-mingling of cultures but its always the hand holding the cash that prevails in determining the “right”way of doing things. Let’s be responsible. Does this mean no iced coffee in Colombia to preserve its hot-coffee-is-okay-on-a-hot-day culture, maybe. Pretend like you’re time traveling, Back to the Future mode (don’t change anything that may affect the course of events to follow).

Written By: Anna Starostinetskaya

Related Articles

• OTP’s Guide to Partying Your Ass Off in Malaysia
• Backpacking in Style: How to Look Less Like a Hobo
• 6 Ways to Stand Out Like an Obnoxious American While Traveling Abroad
• Top 10 Backpacking Travel Destinations for 2010
• Getting Drunk with Locals: 10 Best Local Bars in Zagreb, Croatia
• The 10 Biggest Party Hostels Around the World 2011
• TRAVELERS Who Want to Change the World WANTED! Become an OTP Travel Writer…
• Top 10 Things to Do in Malaysia on a Backpacker’s Budget
• Otp’s Guide to Keeping Your Genitals Healthy Abroad
• OTP’s Guide to Street Food: Greece