slum tour cape town

Poorism vs authenticity on township tour of Khayelitsha

Around africa scott macmillan considers the new search for "authenticity" by western tourists on a visit to a slum on the outskirts of cape town..

06 May, 2011

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So-called "slum tours" are a big thing in the travel business these days. An international conference called Destination Slum held in the UK in December discussed "the production and consumption of poverty in travel and tourism", with presentations carrying an air of academia, including "gangster tourism: representations of 'the ghetto' in the era of global security" and "slum tourism as a search for urban authenticity".

"Authentic" is a troublesome byword in travel promotion. I'm reminded of Andrew Potter's The Authenticity Hoax: How We Get Lost Finding Ourselves, a recent book in which the author shows how westerners, suffering from spurious delusions that our lives are somehow fake or artificial, tie themselves in knots chasing an "authenticity" that doesn't really exist. Entire industries have grown up around this urge. For some, it means shopping at Whole Foods; for others it entails visiting the grottiest parts of the globe.

In Cape Town especially, the "consumption" of poverty, sometimes derided as "poorism", can be quite discomfiting, if only because the city beckons visitors with a life that, while hardly fake, is certainly easy. Think languorous days on the beach, sunsets at posh seaside eateries, tours of Cape vineyards plus relatively safe adventures such as shark cage diving and kitesurfing.

Outside the centre is another face of Cape Town, the sprawl of townships in the Cape Flats, a low-lying area to the east of Table Mountain where the apartheid regime relocated non-whites. Tours of these districts are a touchy subject among travellers anxious not to seem like rich white tourists peering down into shanty towns from the top of a double-decker bus.

I can't remember whether the subject was a South African township tour, a guided visit to Mumbai's Dharavi slum - which I've done, and approved of - or merely a blanket statement about slum tours, but I recall one traveller remarking that he wouldn't do such a thing "for the same reason I wouldn't go on a guided tour of a Rio favela". As though that by itself were an explanation.

I questioned my Cape Town house mate, fellow overland traveller Luke Aldred, about his own reluctance to go on a township tour. He, too, felt it would somehow be far removed from the real thing - that something more real or organic could be done on our own. Needless to say, neither of us did any such thing on our own during over a month in Cape Town.

I finally signed up with Nomvuyos Tours ( www.nomvuyos-tours.co.za ) for a four-hour tour of Khayelitsha, one of the largest townships in South Africa. I took Luke along. A city unto itself, Khayelitsha has a reported population of just under 500,000 - although our tour guide, Jenny Housdon, pegs the current figure closer to two million. I found myself subject to the same "authenticity" concern when I met Housdon in person for the first time. She charges US$49 (Dh180) per person for a group of four - not cheap, but not highway robbery, either. My first unspoken thought, however, wasn't about the cost, but rather: how could she show us a township? Housdon, it turns out, is white.

Housdon began visiting Khayelitsha regularly in 2003 for the simple reason that all her white friends told her not to. "Even as an adult, whenever I see a sign that says 'wet paint', I go right up and touch it," she says. "I've never outgrown that." She made scores of Xhosa-speaking friends in the township who seem thrilled to have visitors; she takes us to local shops, into a shebeen, or pub, and into people's homes - some of them corrugated iron shacks, others solid structures. I discerned no insensitivity on her part or voyeurism on ours. In fact, the feeling was the exact opposite.

It was, in many ways, simply a day in the life of Housdon, a freelance activist for township social issues who finances her trouble-making by offering tours to people like us. We visit a daycare centre whose proprietress is being harassed by the authorities for making basic improvements to the building. We hear Housdon lament the indifference of city officials who fail to act on simple complaints like a broken street light - until she herself, enlisted by the residents to battle on their behalf, harangues and cajoles and threatens to go to the press until basic services are provided. Even in today's South Africa, the complaint of a white tends to carry more weight than that of a non-white.

Those in my group agreed it was worth the time and money - even Luke, the initial sceptic. "I enjoyed it," he says. "It's impressive how connected she is with the local community. In some ways my preconceptions were prejudiced. I admit that."

Arguably, most people who travel in places of relative poverty are already engaged in a form of "poorism". That would include most western travellers in Africa, and indeed in much of the world. That doesn't mean one shouldn't do it, for wherever one goes, one inevitably finds people living lives that aren't so different from our own. If that sounds so unbearably inauthentic, one might as well stay home.

Scott MacMillan is blogging about his journey on his website, www.wanderingsavage.com . Read all of his past columns at Around Africa .

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Khayelitsha: Inside one of the biggest slums in South Africa

Khayelitsha, located in the metropolitan area of Cape Town in South Africa , is one of the largest slums in South Africa. Originally planned by the apartheid government as a formal settlement for the majority community of Black Africans, the township is home to about 2400000 people and consists of more than 22 separate settlements. Started as a consequence of racism in South Africa, Khayelitsha is now a vibrant community known for its entrepreneurial spirit. 

A Brief History 

Between the 1950s – 1950s the apartheid government enacted a series of laws and policies to enforce racial segregation. These laws forcibly relocated black Africans from urban areas to designated townships. Khayelitsha was set up between the 1970s and 1980s on the outskirts of Cape Town and experienced rapid population growth as people were forcibly relocated from other areas. After the end of the apartheid in the 1990s the new government began implementing policies like The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) as comprehensive strategies. These policies have been launched to address the socio-economic inequalities and promote inclusive development.

Informal and Formal Architecture

Characterized by informal architecture, Khayelitsha has a combination of materials used for construction. Materials like corrugated iron, wood, brick and plastic have been commonly used. Khayelitsha is characterized by old formal areas and new informal/formal areas. Bongweni, Ikwezi Park, Khulani Park, Khanya Park, Tembani, Washington Square, Graceland, Ekuphumleni and Zolani Park are the areas built by the apartheid government, while Site B, Site C, Green Point, Litha Park, Mandela Park, Makaza and Harare are the newer areas built around the old settlement. Except for Litha Park, these areas contain a high number of informal settlements, RDP houses, and informal backyard shacks. The recent informal settlements in Khayelitsha include the QQ Section, TR Section, RR Section and Enkanini.

There is a visible difference in the planning of the central areas and the fringe areas. While the central areas are a part of the planned development proposed by the government the fringe has informal housing set up by refugees. The planned areas have proper roads between blocks while the informal area is haphazard.

Navigating Urban Issues

According to the 2005 statistics, Khayelitsha faced a lot of challenges. A majority of households didn’t have access to water, sanitation and electricity. Over the years, Khayelitsha has made strides in addressing some of its longstanding urban challenges. Efforts to improve access to basic services, such as water, sanitation, and electricity, have led to significant improvements in living conditions for many residents. Through government programs and community effort, there has been substantial progress in Khayelitsha’s infrastructure. However certain urban issues still persist. Affordable and formal housing options are limited leading to an expansion of informal settlement. Housing insecurity and crime are some of the pressing issues. Job opportunities within the township are limited giving rise to an increase in small businesses. Issues related to gangsterism. 

Initiatives 

Khayelitsha is a part of the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) program, which aims to address four types of exclusion (economic, cultural, social, and institutional) in low income settlements in an effort to prevent crime. The project aimed to create a series of nodes with safe connectivity. The pedestrian link connected an urban park that was previously identified by community members as one of the unsafe areas of the neighborhood. The Khayelitsha area now has an urban park , a safe pedestrian walkway, and a public square with a series of public amenities. 

Other goals include:

  Provide a clear definition between public and private spaces.

• Provide places for play and relaxation.
• Create a safe, well-lit, and easily surveyed pedestrian route.
• Employ sustainable landscape practices.
• Use easy-to-maintain, durable materials and designs.

The involvement of several public agencies, Citizen Associations, Nonprofits, Engineers and Architects has led to the rapid development of the township. During the 7 year course of this project from 2006 to 2013 the results were promising. There was a 30% increase in pedestrian activity and 45% decrease in the crime rates.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Today Khayelitsha is a frequent tourist destination and the home of the entrepreneurial spirit. The main streets are lined up with containers used by people to promote their businesses. From ethnic cuisine to cultural experiences Khayelitsha has it all! The 18 Gangster Museum is an initiative to spread awareness about the consequences of joining gangs, which is prevalent in Cape Town. Visitors get to see two sides, dark and light showing the negative side of gangsterism. They can also talk to former gang members and ask questions.

A township born from oppression has now become a thriving community. The various initiatives by residents and the government have become successful in improving the quality of life for the residents. Community initiatives have empowered residents of Khayelitsha to take ownership of their township. The government initiatives are focusing on reducing crime and improving infrastructure, providing access to basic amenities and promoting tourism in order to increase the quality of life in Khayelitsha. The economy of Khayelitsha is highly dependent on small businesses run by the residents. As a result of the combined efforts, it has now emerged as a tourist destination. Overall, the township stands testament to the importance of community engagement in solving urban issues. 

References:

• (No date) Khayelitsha Township, Cape Town – Viator. Available at: https://www.viator.com/en-ZA/Cape-Town-attractions/Khayelitsha/overview/d318-a17883 (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• About khayelitsha (no date) Sikhula Sonke Early Childhood Development. Available at: https://www.sikhulasonke.org.za/about-khayelitsha.html (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• Case study 2: Khayelitsha; Cape Town, South Africa (2022) Global Designing Cities Initiative. Available at: https://globaldesigningcities.org/publication/global-street-design-guide/streets/streets-informal-areas/recommendations/case-study-2-khayelitsha-cape-town-south-africa/ (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• Khayelitsha (2024) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khayelitsha (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• Khayelitsha Township (no date) Khayelitsha Township | South African History Online. Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/place/khayelitsha-township (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• Visiting khayelitsha (2020a) Destination Cape Town. Available at: https://thisis.capetown/home/explore/live/neighbourhoods/khayelitsha/ (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 
• Visiting khayelitsha (2020b) Destination Cape Town. Available at: https://thisis.capetown/home/explore/live/neighbourhoods/khayelitsha/ (Accessed: 01 May 2024). 

As a final-year architecture student, her five-year journey has nurtured a profound love for writing and a deep passion for spatial analysis. Her fascination with architecture intertwines seamlessly with her equal ardour for movies, finding inspiration in both mediums. Additionally, her love for music adds another layer of creativity to her pursuits

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Slum tourism: What is it and how does it work?

Slum tourism is, believe it or not, a real type of tourism . Yep, you got that right- people go to slums whilst on holiday. But, why? In this article I will introduce you to the concept of slum tourism and tell you what it’s all about. Interested to learn more? Read on…

What is slum tourism?

Slum tourism definitions, what is white saviour syndrome, what does a slum tour involve, positive impacts of slum tourism, negative impacts of slum tourism, the ethics of slum tourism, slum tourism in south africa, slum tourism in brazil, slum tourism in india, slum tourism in indonesia, slum tourism in africa, slum tourism: conclusion, further reading.

Slum tourism is essentially when people visit slums – or, more widely, poverty stricken areas – as a form of tourism. This will generally be in a foreign country, one they are visiting as a tourist on holiday or on a business trip. It has also been referred to as ghetto tourism and poverty tourism.

In ‘ Theorizing Slum Tourism ’, researchers Eveline Dürr and Rivke Jaffe described slum tourism as follows: 

‘ Slum tourism involves transforming poverty, squalor and violence into a tourism product. Drawing on both altruism and voyeurism, this form of tourism is a complex phenomenon that raises various questions concerning power, inequality and subjectivity. ‘

While this describes slum tourism, it doesn’t necessarily define what it actually is. Bob Ma of the University of Pennsylvania says this:

‘ Slum tourism is one of the fastest-growing niche tourism segments in the world, but it is also one of the most controversial. The United Nations defines a slum as, “a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security” (UN, 2007). Slum tourism is the organization of tours in these areas. As a niche segment, slum tourism is distinguished from developmental tourism, which is a broader term that includes tourism in any region that is undergoing development. ‘

Slum tourism as charity tourism

Some people engage in charity tourism – visiting slums or areas of high poverty with the intention of ‘making things better’. This is also sometimes called volunteer tourism . You can see this on Children In Need in the UK, for example, where we see videos of people heading to various underdeveloped areas of Africa to build schools or install wells for fresh water access etc. You can pay (a lot of) money to do this yourself through various organisations.

People do this as it is within human nature to want to help people who have less than we do. But it is also, of course, a chance to see somewhere new and explore a different culture . It can also be a great way to boost your CV. This means that taking part in slum tourism isn’t a purely selfless act, and this is why it can sometimes be frowned upon.

Studies show that slum tourism can have negative impacts on local communities – the use of unskilled labour, for example, and the taking of jobs that could ultimately have gone to local people. There is also usually no long term commitment involved, and of course there is the concept of white saviour syndrome.

The following extract comes from De-constructing the ‘White Saviour Syndrome’: A Manifestation of Neo-Imperialism by Felix Willuweit:

‘With the recent widespread of protests for black civil rights and against racism across the Western world, the topic of white prejudice has risen to the centre of public attention, of which one manifestation is the so-called ‘White Saviour Syndrome’.   Whether it is Ed Sheeran posing for ‘Comic Relief’ with a number of black children (Hinsliff, 2019), Madonna adopting children from Malawi (Hinsliff, 2019), or students going on adventures advertised for ‘young philanthropists’ within a multi-million dollar gap-year industry (Bandyopadhyay, 2019), numerous cases of altruistic acts of ‘White Saviours’ can be found throughout popular culture in the global North.’

Whereas these practices follow an altruistic narrative, they are commonly criticised as serving to satisfy a ‘White Saviour Syndrome’, the phenomenon in which a white person “guides people of colour from the margins to the mainstream with his or her own initiative and benevolence” which tends to render the people of colour “incapable of helping themselves” and disposes them of historical agency (Cammarota, 2011: 243-244).

So what does slum tourism involve? Many tour operators offer literal ‘slum tours’ as part of their packages, and of course you can visit slum areas alone as they are just parts of various areas. AfricanTrails.co.uk, for example, have a page discussing slum tours and they state that some of their packages do offer slum visits in Kenya, Uganda, Namibia and more.

Reality Tours and Travel are another company offering slum tours. As the company name suggests, they hope to offer a ‘realistic’ side to the places tourists visit. Based in India , a country with a lot of poverty, their slogan is ‘USING TOURISM TO CHANGE LIVES’. They say: Our ethical and educational Dharavi slum tours give visitors a unique glimpse into everyday life for many Mumbaikars while breaking down the negative stereotypes associated with slums. 80% of the profits from every tour are invested back into the community through the programs of our NGO, Reality Gives , and most of our guides are from the community.

Slum tourism has some positives to it. It gives people an insight into how poverty can affect people – humans are curious by nature, and if you are not living in poverty yourself, or never have, then it can be hard to imagine what it is really like. Visiting a slum whilst on holiday is like opening a window to another life, however briefly. 

It is also a chance to provide an income to people living in slums, if the tour involves some sort of opportunity to purchase goods or donate money. And with some tours, as you can see from Reality Tours and Travel above, the booking cost goes into improving the community.

Of course, there are negatives impacts associated with slum tourism too. The main one is that it treats those who live in slums as though they are in a zoo, dehumanising them so tourists can see what it’s like before swanning off back to their hotel and other luxuries. Some would go so far as to argue that they are a form of ‘ human zoo ‘. These tours portray poverty as something exotic, rather than a very real danger to the lives of the people impacted by it. It is also questionable how far the money trickles down. With people paying for organised tours, how sure can we be that real people are accessing the money?

Looking at the pros and cons it is clear that there is an ethical question surrounding slum tourism . People who live in poverty and live in slums are real people. We need to ask ourselves whether it is fair for them to be paraded around in front of us as part of an organised tour that we are paying a company to go on.

Some questions we should ask ourselves when looking to engage in slum tourism, courtesy of slumtourism.net, are:

• To what extent does slum tourism provide an income and positive visibility for people in deprived areas? 
• Which stakeholders are involved in slum tourism and who profits most? 
• How are guided tours organised or composed?  
• What are the geographical scopes of slum-tourism and which place does it occupy in the new mobility system? 
• Where does slum tourism fit in a globalised world of tourist consumption?

It is similar to visiting remote tribes, in a way, just as I explain in my article about the long neck tribe in Thailand . Tourists coming in from outside to view life in a slum through a western lens for a few minutes… does this paint a fair picture of slums?

Slum tourism destinations

There are various places around the world where slum tourism is prevalent. Here are some examples-

Slum tourism exists across South Africa . Here it is also known as township tourism – in SA, townships are the underdeveloped urban areas, generally populated by people of colour as a fall out from the Apartheid era. Apparently, around 25% of visitors to Cape Town engage in township tours. This city alone has around 40-50 township tour operators.

Slum tourism in Brazil equates to ‘favela tours’. Favelas are slums or shanty towns built on the outskirts of major cities across Brazil, and many people visit them for tourist purposes while on holiday in this beautiful country. Favelas are known to be dangerous areas. They are rife with crime, violence and drug dealing, but thousands of tourists every month visit these areas with curiosity.

As mentioned above when I spoke about Reality Tours and Travel, India is a prime spot for slum tourism due to the high levels of poverty here. The film Slumdog Millionaire put Indian slums onto the screens of millions of people, many of whom became keen to see it for themselves on a trip to India. There are around 15,000 people visiting the Dharavi slum each year alone.

Jakarta is home to a slum where families of 5 squeeze into ‘houses’ no bigger than the average western bathroom. They survive on pennies, and welcome tourists into their homes to see what it is like. Jakarta Hidden Tours is run by Ronnie. He’s a charity worker who donates half of his profits to the local community in an attempt to improve their lives.

Across Africa there are poor and underdeveloped communities. Slums tend to exist in Kenya and Uganda, for the most part. AfricanTrails say:

Going on an Africa slum tour is a great way to see what life is like for the majority of residents in a specific African town or city. Visitors can see how people live and the work they carry out in order to provide for their families. Slum tours are not purely filled with misery, the towns often have vibrant communities with shops, schools and market stalls.

I t is easy to forget that there are people living in these conditions, as it is not something you see every day, so for many, Africa slum tours are a real eye-opening experience. Visitors leave the area with the intention of donating to charities, helping those living in these places. Slum tours give the chance for tourists to interact with others from different backgrounds and see the true beauty of Africa and its people.

To conclude, slum tourism occurs around the world, and has done since Victorian times in England. Back then, the aristocracy would visit the capital’s poorest areas for voyeuristic and/or philanthropic purposes. And still it continues. People are, of course, eager to see another way of life. Often they believe that they are helping, and visiting people at their lowest can be a great way to remind you that really, you don’t have it all that bad. The ethics are questionable, but there are definitely ways you can visit a slum without it being a negative thing.

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Tourist and resident perspectives on ‘slum tourism’: the case of the Vilakazi precinct, Soweto

• Published: 06 May 2019
• Volume 85 , pages 1133–1149, ( 2020 )

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• Gijsbert Hoogendoorn   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7969-7952 1 ,
• Nthabiseng Letsatsi 1 ,
• Thabisile Malleka 1 &
• Irma Booyens 2 , 3  

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Slum tourism as a topic of investigation has seen significant growth since the beginning of this decade with increasing theoretical and empirical depth. With this growth, some inconsistencies in conceptual framing and use of terminology have emerged. The purpose of this paper is to argue for township tourism in Soweto to be regarded as a form of heritage tourism rather than slum tourism—a notion which has entered the township tourism literature in recent years. This argument is presented through two sections of analysis and debate, using Vilakazi precinct in Soweto as a case study. Firstly, the paper analyses the emergence of township tourism as an academic focus in the literature and how it came to be classified as slum tourism, considering definitional conundrums. Various South African authors emphasise the struggle heritage character of township tourism. Secondly, the historical development of townships and tourism in these areas are interrogated. The empirical data offer the perspectives on tourism in their area from: (a) residents living in and around Vilakazi Street; and (b) tourists visiting the Vilakazi precinct. The analysis reveals that neither residents nor visitors consider the Vilakazi precinct or the larger area of Orlando West as a slum; rather they perceive tourism is the area to be connected to its struggle heritage. We accordingly stress that the term ‘slum tourism’ to describe township tourism in Soweto is inaccurate and is inconsistent with the views not only of residents and visitors, but also South African authors.

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Hoogendoorn, G., Letsatsi, N., Malleka, T. et al. Tourist and resident perspectives on ‘slum tourism’: the case of the Vilakazi precinct, Soweto. GeoJournal 85 , 1133–1149 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10016-2

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Travel Research: How do Locals Feel about the Practice of Slum Tourism?

Last updated: July 13, 2022 - Written by Jessica Norah 18 Comments

Have you ever heard of slum tourism? This is a tourist practice where travelers visit poor areas of the Global South to view and learn about the impoverished conditions of local inhabitants. Organized slum tours exist around the world in cities such as Mexico City, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Cape Town, Nairobi, Cairo, and Rio de Janeiro.

While the practice of slum tourism is certainly not a new concept—for instance, 19 th century wealthy Londoners would sometimes go “slumming” in the poorer neighborhoods of London—there has been an increase in the number of organized tours worldwide which has fueled discussion about this controversial practice.

So is slum tourism or poverty tourism harmful or helpful? We’ll examine the arguments for and against slum tourism and then discuss a research study that examined this question by interviewing slum residents and stakeholders in Cairo, Egypt.

Table of Contents:

A Brief Summary of the Arguments For and Against Slum Tourism

As noted, there are a number of arguments for why slum tourism can be beneficial and helpful to residents of impoverished areas. However, there are just as many arguments made about why poverty tourism can be negative and harmful.

Arguments in Support of Slum Tourism

Here’s a general summary of points often noted by supporters of slum tourism:

• It is a profitable business practice that employs locals who live in these impoverished areas,
• Opens visitors’ eyes to poverty in other parts of the world and perhaps motivates them to do something
• Many tours donate a percentage of their profits back to the community in some way (e.g., maintaining parks, schools, or community centers)
• Increasing tourism to these impoverished areas leads to increased income for locals selling products and services
• Increased tourism leads to increased government investment in infrastructure (e.g., roads, telecommunications, bridges, water supply) that will benefit both travelers and locals.

Arguments against the Practice of Slum Tourism

Here’s a general summary of points often brought up against the practice of slum tourism:

• Slum tourism is a practice only geared towards making profits out of viewing the poverty of others
• The practice is exploitative and voyeuristic
• Locals do not like or want to be put on display for tourists and may feel demoralized by it,
• Most tourists only visit out of curiosity, not with the intent of giving back to the community
• Viewing poverty in an idealized manner only downplays the real and difficult living conditions of people in the slums.

Interestingly, much of the commentary on slum tourism comes from those living in the industrialized Western world and is predominately based on opinions and anecdotal information. It is more important to hear from those who actually live in these areas, and to collect this data using empirical methods.

Let’s take a look at a research article recently published in Annals of Tourism Research that specifically investigates whether slum tourism can be a responsible practice by gathering information from both local inhabitants working in the slums and from local experts involved in developing these areas.

Research Study on Slum Tourism

We’ll take a look at the following research article:

Mekawy, M. A. (2012). Responsible slum tourism: Egyptian experience.  Annals of Tourism  Research ,  39 (4), 2092-2113. doi: 10.1016/j.annals.2012.07.006

An Overview of How the Research was Conducted

The research team conducted two different surveys. The first was a survey of 464 people dwelling in the Ashwa’iyyat (Arabic for slums) of Cairo, Egypt who had at least some experience with tourists or tourism. The goal of this survey was to examine the thoughts and feelings of inhabitants about the presence of slum tourism in their neighborhoods, and to better understand the positive and negative aspects of tourism in the eyes of those living in the slums.

The second survey was given to 89 stakeholders who were slum experts, planners, researchers, or developers within Cairo. The goal of this survey was to identify responsible tourist activities and practices to help enhance living conditions for those living in the slum areas.

Research Results and Findings

Those who dwell and work within the slums of Cairo had mixed opinions about various aspects of slum tourism, but over two-thirds of the sample felt that there were positive aspects of slum tourism that could enhance the living conditions in the slums.

Some of the tourism-related activities rated as most positive by inhabitants were collecting donations from tourists for local development projects, the employment of poor local laborers, the direct participation of tourists in local infrastructure improvement, and having tourists help with preparing food and water for poor residents.

Negatively rated aspects of slum tourism included having their rights (e.g., land tenure, traditional customs) being used as tourism assets, voyeuristic and exploitative aspects of tourism, being observed by tourists, and Arab tourists visiting for marriage-related purposes.

Most inhabitants felt that although tourism may be helpful, that there are a lot of barriers to benefiting from slum tourism. The most commonly rated barrier was the high population density of the slums. Others included remoteness of slums, feelings of shame by inhabitants about their living conditions, having little faith in government support, and concerns about human trafficking.

The stakeholders working to help improve conditions in these communities agreed that tourism can be useful to help improve conditions in Cairo. These experts reported that they believed that different pro-poor tourism strategies are needed in the different slum areas of Cairo.

In each of the four distinct slum areas of Cairo, these experts felt that a different tourism strategy would be best and would need to be based on the people dwelling in the area and the physical resources present in each area.

For example, whereas traditional market visits were rated as the most beneficial tourism activity for those living in slums within the historic, medieval part of Cairo, those living in the subdivided agricultural lands may benefit most from rural food and drink celebrations.

What do these Study Findings Mean?

The author concludes that the focus of future discussion should not be on just the presence of slum tourism, but how it can be best planned and implemented to enhance the lives of those dwelling in these poor areas. The study found that the majority of the local inhabitants of the slums do feel that there are ways that slum tourism can enhance their living conditions; however, there are also negative aspects to tourism and there are a lot of barriers that can prevent inhabitants from being able to benefit from tourism.

Expert stakeholders suggest that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how to best implement responsible tourism in these poor areas and that each area may benefit from a different individual approach. For instance, among the four distinct areas in Cairo, the experts suggested that a different strategy would likely be needed in each area based on the needs of the inhabitants and the locally available resources.

Interested in more research related to slum tourism? Want to find out more about what tourists who take these tours have to say about the practice?

Check out our other post reviewing research about township tourism in South Africa , and our latest article about slum tourism and responsible travel guidelines .

So what do you think of the practice of slum tourism? Is it an essentially exploitative practice? Can slum tourism be conducted in a responsible and ethical manner that provides travelers an enriching experience while also enhancing the living conditions of the poor?

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Elvia Post author

July 12, 2019 at 11:13 pm

The article, “Travel Research How do Locals Feel about the Practice of Slum Tourism,” by Jessica Norah provoked many questions on the topic of slum tourism. One of those questions pertains to how do the locals feel about slum tourism. “The study found that the majority of the local inhabitants of the slums do feel that there are ways that slum tourism can enhance their living conditions; however, there are also negative aspects to tourism, and there are a lot of barriers that can prevent inhabitants from being able to benefit from tourism.” I put myself in the shoes of the less fortunate. Personally, I wouldn’t be keen of strangers visiting my community to feed their curiosity. The article lists some pros about these tours, such as providing essential improvements to the community. I would be interested to know how much of the percentage of the money donated goes into enriching these less fortunate communities. How are the affected kept in mind when the individuals create the tours, and is the community asked if they want to be part of this project. I would assume no based on the information stated in the article. After thoroughly reading the article and their findings on their research, I understand that the only people who are looked after are those putting the money in their pockets by profiting from these slums.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

July 17, 2019 at 11:16 am

Glad to see you are interested in the issue of slum tourism or poverty tourism.

The study we discussed and commented on was focused on a specific place in Egypt (and we have another article on a specific area in South Africa) and the way that poverty tourism or slum tourism is done in these places is different. So the pros and cons for each community are going to be a bit different and I would really look at a specific community of interest. Sometimes the community is involved in the tours and process, and sometimes they are not involved. Sometimes the proceeds (or part of them) go back to the community, sometimes they do not. Again, this all depends and is very different across the world and individual communities. If you are interested in a particular area, I would encourage you to seek out original research about that area and to look into tours offered there to get a better understanding of how they are run and the pros/cons for the local community.

Best, Jessica

Sarah Post author

December 29, 2015 at 7:57 am

Hi, I have stumbled across your blog as I research slum tourism as part of an MA in International Tourism Development. When I have some spare time I am looking forward to grabbing a cup of tea and reading much more! Your critical approach to this subject is refreshing and informative. thank you for the fantastic post.

Best wishes, Sarah, UK.

travelcats Post author

December 29, 2015 at 12:31 pm

Thanks Sarah for your nice comment, I’ve included a couple posts on the blog about poverty tourism. I would love to hear your thoughts about slum tourism after you do your research given it is part of your area of study! ~ Best, Jessica

H.H.H. Post author

December 25, 2013 at 4:44 am

Very interesting article! I studied psychology so your “Psychology of Travel” section has definitely stirred my interest! I have never seen it on any other travel blog, great idea! As for slum tourism, I have always felt quite negatively about it as I viewed it as voyeuristic and disrespectful and have always refused to participate in any such tours, but the research you quote shows that not all the aspects of it are as negative as I thought. I find it surprising that such a high percentage of slums inhabitants view it as something positive. Very thought provoking, thanks!

Merry Christmas! 🙂

December 25, 2013 at 9:38 pm

Yes, it is definitely an issue that most people see as a negative practice. However, I do believe there are ways that slum tourism can have positive effects on impoverished communities. Check out our latest article about slum tourism in South Africa.

Moustafa A. Mekawy Post author

December 22, 2013 at 11:58 pm

Dear Travelcats,

Thanks a lot for the critical review of my article. In addition, i would like to thank all of those who enriched your review.

As you said, slum tourism is a controversial topic and needs more contributions. Therefore, I welcome all constructive criticism and viewpoints. Regards, Moustafa A. Mekawy, the author

December 23, 2013 at 7:26 pm

Thank you very much for stopping by our blog and for your contribution to the research in this area!

M. Borgarbúi Post author

December 12, 2013 at 6:49 am

Slum tourism is not better than visiting zoo to watch wild animals in cages.

I don’t see anything wrong when people accidentally of by their own curiosity visits slum areas, but to take a guided tour is completely ridiculous and disrespectful for people living there. In most cases, especially in India I hardly believe that anyone in the slum earns any profit from it.

Anyway, it’s a great article. Looking forward to hear more about this subject.

Jessica Post author

December 12, 2013 at 8:30 pm

Hello, yes slum tourism is a very controversial issue, and you are correct in that some tour operators give very little back to the local people. However, many do believe it is possible to have sustainable tourism efforts that visit poor areas AND give back to the locals. It is just not an easy thing but I do believe it is possible. But as you say based on your experience in India, many tours may not be very responsible.

Also the research seems to indicate it is probably better for tourists to be with a local tour guide than just wandering around on their own out of curiosity. A good guide can help better ensure people respect cultural norms, respect the privacy of residents, and are made aware of local businesses.

I will be posting soon on slum tourism (known as township tourism) in South Africa and how it could be changed to be better for the local people.

Meredith Post author

September 9, 2013 at 9:23 pm

When we were in Rio we saw quite a few advertisements for favella tours. I had a very interesting conversation with the one of the hostel workers about the pros/cons of the tours. For the most part he seemed in favor of the practice (although he wasn’t from a favella himself). Apparently it’s helped with the government’s efforts to clean out the drugs and violence and to promote local artists/the economy. I certainly understand the point, but to me it still feels a little voyeuristic and exploitative. It just felt awkward to think of going, so maybe I missed out. Maybe I’ll reconsider in the future. Thanks for posting!

September 9, 2013 at 10:34 pm

Thanks Meredith for checking out this article. Yes, it’s such an interesting topic and I can certainly see both sides. I am hoping to post further on slum tourism soon as I think most people know very little about this practice and people generally have only heard one-sided arguments. I think that increasing awareness on this topic is important.

Darcy Post author

August 12, 2013 at 6:52 pm

This topic is really interesting. I’d never heard of slum tourism before. It’s certainly given me a lot to think about.

August 12, 2013 at 7:18 pm

Hopefully as more people become aware of slum tourism, the more it can either be prevented or done in a way that will help benefit the locals.

Melissa Post author

August 12, 2013 at 3:33 pm

Thank you for posting this fantastic research article. You’ve really captured both sides of the arguments and presented them in a concise and cohesive manner. This is such a slippery slope argument and I can definitely see the pros and cons from both sides. I feel that one of the problems with slum tourism is that it is just that: a business based on tourism. It seems that the slum tourism industry wouldn’t be as profitable if money was put back into the slums to improve the quality of life/living. I don’t know…it’s tricky. I would really love to read more articles on this topic.

August 12, 2013 at 3:54 pm

Glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely a controversial issue. I hope to post another article in the next week or so that will talk about slum tourism from the tourist perspective.

Heather Post author

August 1, 2013 at 1:18 am

I really found this information to be quite interesting. I have had family who have done guided tours like you described in India and I had at the time thought they were alll bad and exploitative. Now I hsve a more mixed viewpoint as obviously such slum tourism has some great POTENTIAL benefits. I for one woukd love to see more articles like this on slum tourism. I really like your Psychology of Travel section.

August 1, 2013 at 7:34 am

Thanks Heather for your comment. Yes, this type of tourism definitely has both pros and cons and is not black or white/bad or good in my opinion. I am glad you found the article helpful and I would be happy to post more research data related to slum tourism soon. I have an article which examines the actual thoughts and opinions of those tourists who take the tours. I will summarize and post that over the next couple weeks. Keep checking back!

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Africa Slum Tours

Slum tourism is a type of tourism that involves visiting areas of poverty such as in developing African countries like Kenya and Uganda. It is also popular in post-apartheid South Africa and Namibia. Many settlements in South Africa are still visibly divided into wealthy and poor areas. In this article we will provide you with information about the history of slum tours and what they involve.

We offer a number of slum tours. See our tours page for more information

Image source: https://www.africantrails.co.uk/images/at-7.jpg

History of slum tours

Over the last few years we have seen an increase in the number of tourists visiting African slums and there has been a developing trend in slum tourism worldwide.  Around three hundred to four hundred thousand tourists go on South African slum tours each year. Slum tourism actually dates back over a hundred and fifty years ago when the upper class living in Victorian London would travel to the East End to view how the lower class lived.

Slum tourism in Africa started at the beginning of the nineties in South Africa after Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Those with political interest wanted to visit Mandela’s house and see how the townships were recovering from their apartheid state.

Why go on an Africa slum tour?

Going on an Africa slum tour is a great way to see what life is like for the majority of residents in a specific African town or city. Visitors can see how people live and the work they carry out in order to provide for their families. Slum tours are not purely filled with misery, the towns often have vibrant communities with shops, schools and market stalls.

It is easy to forget that there are people living in these conditions, as it is not something you see every day, so for many, Africa slum tours are a real eye-opening experience. Visitors leave the area with the intention of donating to charities, helping those living in these places. Slum tours give the chance for tourists to interact with others from different backgrounds and see the true beauty of Africa and its people.

Bead factories

Many Africa slum tours involve a trip round local towns’ bead factories. Local workers handcraft the beads out of clay, producing beautiful results. Many of the factories’ workers are from the slums, using their work as a way of providing a respectable income for their families. The beads are often sold in nearby gift shops and on market stalls. They are wonderful souvenirs to pick up as a reminder of your trip.

Things to keep in mind on Africa slum tours

It is important to remember that the towns you visit on Africa slum tours are people’s homes and therefore your visits should be conducted respectfully. Excessive photography is unnecessary. It is best to capture the sights with your own eyes, not through a lens. Your kindness and respect will be returned by those living here.

Whilst African slum tours are a controversial subject, it is important to remember that they do provide employment and income for the people living there. Individuals can be employed as tour guides for the slums and craft-workers producing souvenirs have an opportunity to sell their goods to visiting tourists. A percentage of the revenue from slum tours is usually invested back into the community, benefiting those living there.

Our tours provide you with a better understanding of African culture

Image source: https://www.africantrails.co.uk/images/at-2.jpg

Our Africa slum tours are all about educating tourists and showing them that despite what the media portrays, there is more to the people living in African slums than poverty. Visit our Africa tours page for more information about the different slum tours we offer in various African countries.

• Communication

Slum and Pro-Poor Tourism

Slum tourism is becoming increasingly popular amongst international travel visitors, but is it an ethical or socially acceptable travel experience many would argue no. here is some background on the controversial travel trend..

Posted on : 2020-02-05 09:43:22

Slum tourism: what is it?

The United Nations defines a slum as a ‘run down area of a city characterised by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security’.

The popularity of slum tourism has rapidly increased in recent years, with slums around the world seeing millions of visitors each year. While slum tourism is nothing new, it’s grown into a legitimate global industry. Tour operators now promote visits to places like the favelas of Rio, the barrios of Medellín, the townships of Cape Town and Johannesburg, the sprawling slums of Mumbai and New Delhi, and even the skid row areas of Detroit, LA and Berlin. A slum tour may contain a variety of components, from visits to schools, community projects and orphanages, to a jaunt around a local market. Some tours may even include a cookery lesson at an inhabitants home. Much of the time, a slum tour will focus on sites that show betterment to the community and include suggestions on how you can lend your support. Slums are often known as being vibrant and hectic areas, rife with small businesses and trade. Many tours will capitalise on these aspects, presenting a slum as an area of development and urban life. Slum tourism has the potential to be a contributor to economic and social growth in local communities. However, it’s often difficult to judge whether this type of tourism truly benefits impoverished areas. Who truly makes money from these tours? How do local people feel about moneyed tourists coming into their communities? These are key question that need considering.

Why is it so popular?

Post-Conflict

Post conflict, or ‘phoenix’ tourism, is tourism that takes place in a country after political unrest, war, or damaging weather events. Often, after a major conflict, policy makers will look for ways to rebuild the economy. One way this has been done is by development of tourism in poorer areas, including undocumented tours, small business enterprise development and simple accommodation startups.

An example of this can be seen in post-war Rwanda. Despite having a violent past, the country is known for its beautiful national parks and diverse wildlife. After the civil war ended, the government made a commitment to developing tourism within the country. They began utilising natural resources and provided wildlife tours, as well as opening hotels and accommodation in poorer areas. They implemented policies that improved the business environment and involved private sector investments and local guides. Small private tour operator – New Dawn Associates (NDA) established tours of Mayange village (part of the UN Millennium Villages project) and, Kigali’s poorer suburb. Both tours ensure that a fixed percentage of the benefits goes into a Community Development Fund and focus on sharing the country’s developmental challenges. This was successful because the government viewed tourism as an instrument to reduce poverty by directly involving local communities.

What are the benefits?

Economic benefits.

While controversial, there are many potential economic benefits to slum tourism. Increased foot traffic in communities where people make a living selling traditional crafts helps them to see a higher profit. In the Dhavari Slum, much of Mumbai’s waste paper and plastic is recycled to support the craft industries, and tourists are encouraged to buy local wares. When locals are directly involved in the tours being given, it provides them with a source of income and security. Some tour operators contribute profits directly into the slums as well. However, in comparison to what they are earning themselves, it may only be a very small fraction. This unfair distribution of profit means that some marginalised communities may never see the benefits of tourism in the area they call home.

Another matter of contention is that often slum tours are heavily associated with charity. Many operators will promote tours as a means of local development, promising that an excerpt of the money you give will end up going to community projects or local guides. Even so, it is doubtful that the money actually ends up in these places and if it does, it may not be a lot.

Increased Local Development

In 2018, over 1 billion people lived in slums or informal settlements (UN). Many of these areas have become infamous for being unsafe or having a reputation for crime, much like Medellín, Columbia or the ‘a murder capital’ as it was once called. Some might say that by visiting these slums, it helps to promote awareness and puts more marginalised communities on the map. It could increase local development and social mobility. But some would say these visits overly-romanticise and trivialise slums; places where there is overburdened infrastructure, poor sanitation, unplanned urbanisation and lack of access to clean water and waste services.

Often it is the case that many tourists feel uncomfortable ‘touring’ around somebody else’s home or neighborhood, especially when the dynamics of wealth and power are severely imbalanced.

Questions to ask

If you do want to visit a slum it is worth asking yourself some hard questions:

Who runs the slum tour?

Is it run by an external company?

Are they in partnership with those who live in the slum?

Do they have permission to be there?

Does the local community benefit?

The issue of slum tourism remains controversial, despite valid arguments on both sides. Ultimately, the only way for slum tourism to be ethical is if it directly involves and benefits the people living in these communities, and is for the purpose of education and acceptance, not only monetary gain.

Slumtourism.net

Home of the slum tourism research network, virtual tourism in rio’s favelas, welcome to lockdown stories.

Lockdown Stories emerged as a response to the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has impacted communities all around the world and has brought unprecedented challenges. In the favelas of Rio de Janeiro this included the loss of income and visibility from tourism on which community tourism and heritage projects depend.  In that context, Lockdown Stories investigated how community tourism providers responded, and what support they needed to transform their projects in the new circumstances.  In these times of isolation, Lockdown Stores aims to create new digital connections between communities across the world by sharing ‘Lockdown Stories’ through online virtual tours.

We are inviting you to engage in this new virtual tourism platform and to virtually visit six favelas in Rio de Janeiro: Cantagalo, Chapéu Mangueira, Babilônia, Providência, Rocinha and Santa Marta.

The tours are free but booking is required. All live tours are in Portuguese with English translation provided.

Tours happen through November and December, every Tuesday at 7 pm (UK) / 4 pm (Brazil) Please visit  lockdownstories.travel   where you can find out more about the project.

This research project is based on collaboration between the University of Leicester, the University of Rio de Janeiro and Bournemouth University and is funded by the University of Leicester QR Global Challenges with Research Fund (Research England).

Touristification Impossible

Call for Papers – Research Workshop

Touristification Impossible:

Tourism development, over-tourism and anti-tourism sentiments in context.

4 th and 5 th June 2019, Leicester UK

TAPAM – Tourism and Placemaking Research Unit – University of Leicester School of Business

Keynotes by Scott McCabe, Johannes Novy, Jillian Rickly and Julie Wilson

Touristification is a curious phenomenon, feared and desired in almost equal measure by policy makers, businesses and cultural producers, residents, social movements and last but not least, tourists themselves. Much current reflection on over-tourism, particularly urban tourism in Europe, where tourism is experienced as an impossible burden on residents and cities, repeats older debates: tourism can be a blessing or blight, it brings economic benefits but costs in almost all other areas. Anti-tourism social movements, residents and some tourists declare ‘touristification impossible’, asking tourists to stay away or pushing policy makers to use their powers to stop it. Such movements have become evident in the last 10 years in cities like Barcelona and Athens and there is a growing reaction against overtourism in several metropolitan cities internationally.

This workshop sets out to re-consider (the impossibility of) touristification. Frequently, it is understood simplistically as a process in which a place, city, region, landscape, heritage or experience becomes an object of tourist consumption.  This, of course, assumes an implicit or explicit transformation of a resource into a commodity and carries an inherent notion of decline of value, from ‘authentic’ in its original state to ‘commodified’ after touristification. In other words, touristification is often seen as a process of ‘selling out’. But a change of perspective reveals the complexities involved. While some may hope to make touristification possible, it is sometimes actually very difficult and seemingly impossible: When places are unattractive, repulsive, controversial, difficult and contested, how do they become tourist attractions? Arguably in such cases value is added rather than lost in the process of touristification. These situations require a rethink not just of the meaning of touristification, but the underlying processes in which it occurs. How do places become touristically attractive, how is attractiveness maintained and how is it lost? Which actors initiate, guide and manipulate the process of touristification and what resources are mobilised?

The aim of this two-day workshop is to provide an opportunity to challenge the simplistic and biased understanding of tourism as a force of good and touristification as desirable, so common among destination marketing consulting and mainstream scholarly literature. But it will equally question a simplistic but frequent criticism of touristification as ‘sell-out’ and ‘loss of authenticity’.

We invite scholars, researchers, practitioners and PhD students to submit conceptual and/or empirical work on this important theme. We welcome submissions around all aspects and manifestations of touristification (social, economic, spatial, environmental etc.) and, particularly, explorations of anti-tourism protests and the effects of over-tourism. The workshop is open to all theoretical and methodological approaches. We are delighted to confirm keynote presentations by Scott McCabe, Jillian Rickly, Johannes Novy and Julie Wilson.

The workshop is organised by the Tourism and Placemaking Research Unit (TAPAM) of the School of Business and builds on our first research workshop last year on ‘Troubled Attractions’, which brought together over 30 academics from the UK and beyond.

The workshop format

The research workshop will take place in the University of Leicester School of Business. It will combine invited presentations by established experts with panel discussions and research papers. Participants will have the chance to network and socialize during a social event in the evening of Tuesday 4 th June. There is small fee of £20 for participation. Registration includes workshop materials; lunch on 4 th and 5 th June 2019 and social event on 4 th June.

Guidelines for submissions

We invite submissions of abstracts (about 500 words) by 31 st April 2019 . Abstracts should be sent by email to: Fatos Ozkan Erciyas ( foe2 (at) le.ac.uk ).

Digital Technology, Tourism and Geographies of Inequality at AAG April 2019 in DC

Digital technology, tourism and geographies of inequality.

Tourism is undergoing major changes in the advent of social media networks and other forms of digital technology. This has affected a number of tourism related processes including marketing, destination making, travel experiences and visitor feedback but also various tourism subsectors, like hospitality, transportation and tour operators. Largely overlooked, however, are the effects of these changes on questions concerning inequality. Therefore, the aim of this session is to chart this relatively unexplored territory concerning the influence of technologically enhanced travel and tourism on development and inequality.

In the wake of the digital revolution and its emerging possibilities, early debates in tourism studies have been dominated by a belief that new technologies are able to overcome or at least reduce inequality. These technologies, arguably, have emancipatory potential, inter alia, by increasing the visibility of neglected groups, neighborhoods or areas, by lowering barriers of entry into tourism service provision for low-income groups or by democratizing the designation what is considered valuable heritage. They also, however, may have homogenizing effects, for example by subjecting formerly excluded spaces to global regimes of real estate speculation or by undermining existing labour market regimes and standards in the transport and hospitality industries. These latter effects have played a part in triggering anti-tourism protests in a range of cities across the world.

In this session we aim, specifically, to interrogate these phenomena along two vectors: mobility and inequality.

Sponsor Groups : Recreation, Tourism, and Sport Specialty Group, Digital Geographies Specialty Group, Media and Communication Geography Specialty Group Day: 03.04.2019 Start / End Time: 12:40 / 16:15 Room: Calvert Room, Omni, Lobby Level

All abstracts here:

New Paper: Tourist agency as valorisation: Making Dharavi into a tourist attraction

The full paper is available for free download until mid September 2017

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016073831730110X

Tourist agency is an area of renewed interest in tourism studies. Reflecting on existing scholarship the paper identifies, develops and critically examines three main approaches to tourism agency, namely the Service-dominant logic, the performative turn, and tourist valorisation. Tourist valorisation is proposed as a useful approach to theorise the role of tourists in the making of destinations and more broadly to conceptualise the intentions, modalities and outcomes of tourist agency. The paper contributes to the structuring of current scholarship on tourist agency. Empirically it addresses a knowledge gap concerning the role of tourists in the development of Dharavi, Mumbai into a tourist destination.

Touristified everyday life – mundane tourism

Touristified everyday life – mundane tourism: Current perspectives on urban tourism (Berlin 11/12 May 2017) conference program announced / call for registration

Tourism and other forms of mobility have a stronger influence on the urban everyday life than ever before. Current debates indicate that this development inevitably entails conflicts between the various city users. The diverse discussions basically evolve around the intermingling of two categories traditionally treated as opposing in scientific research: ‘the everyday’ and ‘tourism’. The international conference Touristified everyday life – mundane tourism: Current perspectives on urban tourism addresses the complex and changing entanglement of the city, the everyday and tourism. It is organized by the Urban Research Group ‘New Urban Tourism’ and will be held at the Georg Simmel-Center for Metropolitan Studies in Berlin. May 11, 2017, 4:15 – 5:00pm KEYNOTE – Prof. Dr. Jonas Larsen (Roskilde University): ‚Tourism and the Everyday Practices‘ (KOSMOS-dialog series, admission is free).

May 12, 2017, 9:00am – 6:00pm PANELS – The Extraordinary Mundane, Encounters & Contact Zones, Urban (Tourism) Development (registration required).

See full conference program HERE (pdf)

REGISTRATION

If you are interested in the panels you need to register. An attendance fee of 40 € will be charged to cover the expenses for the event. For students, trainees, unemployed, and the handicapped there is a reduced fee of 20 €.

For registration please fill out the registration form (pdf) and send it back until April 20, 2017 to:

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Georg-Simmel-Zentrum für Metropolenforschung Urban Research Group ’New Urban Tourism’ Natalie Stors & Christoph Sommer Unter den Linden 6 10099 Berlin You can also send us the form by email.

https://newurbantourism.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/conference-program.pdf

AAG Boston Programm

The slum tourism network presents two sessions at the Association of American Geographer Annual Meeting in Boston on Friday 7 April 2017 :

3230 The complex geographies of inequality in contemporary slum tourism

is scheduled on Friday, 4/7/2017, from 10:00 AM – 11:40 AM in Room 310, Hynes, Third Level

3419 The complex geographies of inequality in contemporary slum tourism

is scheduled on Friday, 4/7/2017, from 1:20 PM – 3:00 PM in Room 210, Hynes, Second Level

Stigma to Brand Conference Programme announced

From Stigma to Brand: Commodifying and Aestheticizing Urban Poverty and Violence

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, February 16-18, 2017

The preliminary programme has now been published and can be downloaded  here .

For attendance, please register at stigma2brand (at) ethnologie.lmu.d e

Posters presenting on-going research projects related to the conference theme are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Eveline Dürr (LMU Munich, Germany) Prof. Dr. Rivke Jaffe (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Prof. Dr. Gareth Jones (London School of Economics and Politics, UK)

This conference investigates the motives, processes and effects of the commodification and global representation of urban poverty and violence. Cities have often hidden from view those urban areas and populations stigmatized as poor, dirty and dangerous. However, a growing range of actors actively seek to highlight the existence and appeal of “ghettos”, “slums” and “no-go areas”, in attempts to attract visitors, investors, cultural producers, media and civil society organisations. In cities across the world, processes of place-making and place-marketing increasingly resignify urban poverty and violence to indicate authenticity and creativity. From “slum tourism” to “favela chic” parties and “ghetto fabulous” fashion, these economic and representational practices often approach urban deprivation as a viable brand rather than a mark of shame.

The conference explores how urban misery is transformed into a consumable product. It seeks to understand how the commodification and aestheticization of violent, impoverished urban spaces and their residents affects urban imaginaries, the built environment, local economies and social relations.

What are the consequences for cities and their residents when poverty and violence are turned into fashionable consumer experiences? How is urban space transformed by these processes and how are social relationships reconfigured in these encounters? Who actually benefits when social inequality becomes part of the city’s spatial perception and place promotion? We welcome papers from a range of disciplinary perspectives including anthropology, geography, sociology, and urban studies.

Key note speakers:

• Lisa Ann Richey (Roskilde University)
• Kevin Fox Gotham (Tulane University)

Touring Katutura – New Publication on township tourism in Namibia

A new study on township tourism in Namibia has been published by a team of researchers from Osnabrück University including Malte Steinbrink, Michael Buning, Martin Legant, Berenike Schauwinhold and Tore Süßenguth.

Guided sightseeing tours of the former township of Katutura have been offered in Windhoek since the mid-1990s. City tourism in the Namibian capital had thus become, at quite an early point in time, part of the trend towards utilising poor urban areas for purposes of tourism – a trend that set in at the beginning of the same decade. Frequently referred to as “slum tourism” or “poverty tourism”, the phenomenon of guided tours around places of poverty has not only been causing some media sensation and much public outrage since its emergence; in the past few years, it has developed into a vital field of scientific research, too. “Global Slumming” provides the grounds for a rethinking of the relationship between poverty and tourism in world society. This book is the outcome of a study project of the Institute of Geography at the School of Cultural Studies and Social Science of the University of Osnabrueck, Germany. It represents the first empirical case study on township tourism in Namibia.

It focuses on four aspects: 1. Emergence, development and (market) structure of township tourism in Windhoek 2. Expectations/imaginations, representations as well as perceptions of the township and its inhabitants from the tourist’s perspective 3. Perception and assessment of township tourism from the residents’ perspective 4. Local economic effects and the poverty-alleviating impact of township tourism The aim is to make an empirical contribution to the discussion around the tourism-poverty nexus and to an understanding of the global phenomenon of urban poverty tourism.

Free download of the study from here:

https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/9591

CfP Touristified everyday life – mundane tourism : Current perspectives on urban tourism

Touristified everyday life – mundane tourism : Current perspectives on urban tourism

11 and 12 of May 2017 in Berlin

Deadline for proposals: 1st December 2016

Find the f ull call here

Touristifizierter Alltag – Alltäglicher Tourismus: Neue Perspektiven auf das Stadttouristische

CfP AAG 2017

Cfp association of american geographers, boston 5th to 9th april 2017, the complex geographies of inequality in contemporary slum tourism.

The visitation of areas of urban poverty is a growing phenomenon in global tourism (Burgold & Rolfes, 2013; Dürr & Jaffe, 2012; Freire-Medeiros, 2013; Frenzel, Koens, Steinbrink, & Rogerson, 2015). While it can be considered a standard tourism practise in some destinations, it remains a deeply controversial form of tourism that is greeted with much suspicion and scepticism (Freire-Medeiros, 2009). In the emerging research field of slum tourism, the practices are no longer only seen as a specific niche of tourism, but as empirical phenomena that bridge a number of interdisciplinary concerns, ranging from international development, political activism, mobility studies to urban regeneration (Frenzel, 2016).

Slum tourism is sometimes cast as a laboratory where the relationships and interactions between the global North and South appear as micro-sociological encounters framed by the apparent concern over inequality. Beyond questioning the ways in which participants shape the encounters in slum tourism, structural implications and conditions come to the fore. Thus spatial inequality influences opportunities and hinders governance solutions to manage slum tourism operations (Koens and Thomas, 2016). Slum tourism is found to be embedded into post-colonial patterns of discourse, in which ‘North’ and ‘South’ are specifically reproduced in practices of ‘Othering’ (Steinbrink, 2012) . Evidence has been found for the use of slum tourism in urban development (Frenzel, 2014; Steinbrink, 2014) and more widely in the commodification of global care and humanitarian regimes (Becklake, 2014; Holst, 2015). Research has also pointed to the ethical implications of aestheticizing poverty in humanitarian aid performances and the troubles of on-the-ground political engagement in a seemingly post-ideological era (Holst 2016).

More recently a geographical shift has been observed regarding the occurrence of slum tourism. No longer a phenomenon restricted to the Global South, slum tourism now appears increasingly in the global North. Refugee camps such as Calais in the north of France have received high numbers of visitors who engage in charitable action and political interventions. Homeless tent cities have become the subject of a concerned tourist gaze in the several cities of the global north (Burgold, 2014). A broad range of stigmatised neighbourhoods in cities of the global North today show up on tourist maps as visitors venture to ‘off the beaten track’ areas. The resurfacing of slum tourism to the global North furthers reinforces the need to get a deeper, critical understanding of this global phenomena.

Mobility patterns of slum tourists also destabilise notions of what it means to be a tourist, as migrants from the Global North increasingly enter areas of urban poverty in the South beyond temporal leisurely visits, but as low level entry points into cities they intent to make their (temporal) home. Such new phenomena destabilise strict post-colonial framings of slum tourism, pointing to highly complex geographies of inequality.

In this session we aim to bring together research that casts the recent developments in slum tourism research. We aim specifically in advancing geographical research while retaining a broad interdisciplinary outlook.

Please sent your abstract or expressions of interest of now more than 300 words to Tore E.H.M Holst ( tehh (at) ruc.dk ) and Thomas Frisch ( Thomas.Frisch (at) wiso.uni-hamburg.de ) by October 15 th 2016

Becklake, S. (2014). NGOs and the making of “development tourism destinations.” Zeitschrift Für Tourismuswissenschaft , 6 (2), 223–243.

Burgold, J. (2014). Slumming in the Global North. Zeitschrift Für Tourismuswissenschaft , 6 (2), 273–280.

Burgold, J., & Rolfes, M. (2013). Of voyeuristic safari tours and responsible tourism with educational value: Observing moral communication in slum and township tourism in Cape Town and Mumbai. DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin , 144 (2), 161–174.

Dürr, E., & Jaffe, R. (2012). Theorizing Slum Tourism: Performing, Negotiating and Transforming Inequality. European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Revista Europea de Estudios Latinoamericanos Y Del Caribe , 0 (93), 113–123

Freire-Medeiros, B. (2009). The favela and its touristic transits. Geoforum , 40 (4), 580–588.

Freire-Medeiros, B. (2013). Touring Poverty . New York N.Y.: Routledge.

Frenzel, F. (2014). Slum Tourism and Urban Regeneration: Touring Inner Johannesburg. Urban Forum , 25 (4), 431–447.

Frenzel, F. (2016). Slumming it: the tourist valorization of urban poverty . London: Zed Books.

Frenzel, F., Koens, K., Steinbrink, M., & Rogerson, C. M. (2015). Slum Tourism State of the Art. Tourism Review International , 18 (2), 237–252.

Holst, T. (2015). Touring the Demolished Slum? Slum Tourism in the Face of Delhi’s Gentrification. Tourism Review International , 18 (4), 283–294.

Steinbrink, M. (2012). We did the slum! Reflections on Urban Poverty Tourism from a Historical Perspective. Tourism Geographies , 14 (2), forthcoming.

Steinbrink, M. (2014). Festifavelisation: mega-events, slums and strategic city-staging – the example of Rio de Janeiro. DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin , 144 (2), 129–145.

Cape Town's 1st-ever 'Duck Tour' is open for business at V&A Waterfront

Explore parts of cape town in a new way via bus and boat. here's how it works….

• Lester Kiewit
• Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit

Lester Kiewit speaks to Keith Lindsay, founder of The Waterfront Duck Company.

Looking for a new experience? Getting around by bus AND boat might just be it. 

You can now explore the V&A Waterfront and Victoria Basin areas with a 'duck tour' made possible by the Waterfront Duck Company .

RELATED: Cape Town gets first-ever amphibious duck tour, launching 31 July!

South Africa’s first 36-seater amphibious bus that will take people on tours of Cape Town’s CBD and the V&A Marina and Victoria Basin officially launched on 6 August to the public. However, it wasn't an easy journey to reality.

Lindsay says it took 16 years to get his administrative and legal 'ducks in a row'.

Tours will last about an hour, a third will take place on land and two-thirds of the tour is on water. A live tour guide provides some history about the passing views.

While rain doesn't affect tours, they are still somewhat weather-dependent so ensure you consider Mother Nature when booking your tour.

Find the Duck Tour Company at the V&A Waterfront.

Price list:

• R395 for adults
• R295 for kids 12 and under
• R95 for kids under three years old

Tickets are available online at Quicket . 

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