Tourism boycotts – why people gave Myanmar a miss and skipped South Korea? And what about plucky little Palau?
Whether government enforced political instruments or the result of an individual’s own ethical dilemma, these six destinations have felt the impact of the masses staying away
Tourism boycotts, whether government driven or instigated by travellers as a vehicle for social change, invariably leave a trail of collateral damage. For example, refusing to visit Namibia in protest against the annual clubbing of thousands of seals is an ethical minefield. The cull provides food and income for impoverished Namibians and protects fish stocks. Should the flow of tourists to the southwest African nation diminish, staff working for safari companies would feel the pinch, despite the excellent animal welfare and conservation management practices at game reserves such as Etosha.
There’s also the issue of double standards. Skip Namibia and consistency demands you should skip Canada as well (more seal clubbing), boycott the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (“scientific” whaling), Iceland (more whaling) and give Togo and Fiji a miss (illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing). Personally, I intend to suspend all travel to Togo but have decided to give Fiji one last chance.
Here are a few other countries that have been on the receiving end of a tourism ban, official or otherwise.
Palau
With a population similar to that of a Hong Kong housing estate, Palau is punching above its weight in a spat with China. Tourism accounted for almost half of the archipelago’s gross domestic product until last November, when mainland travel agencies were ordered to stop selling tours to the tiny Pacific island nation after it refused to switch diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan.
Myanmar (Burma)
