For many of us, the word “tourism” evokes thoughts of pristine beaches, five-star resorts, historical sites, museums and theme parks. But now it has been attached to the word “slum”, with a growing number of companies offering guided tours of the cemeteries, river banks and refuse tips where the poorest of the poor eke out a living.
As The National reported yesterday, a Philippines tour operator is offering visits to Manila's Smokey Mountain slum – a smouldering mound of rubbish described by writer Dan Brown as "the gates to hell". Some say such tours are cruel and voyeuristic, reducing human suffering to an item to be ticked off a bucket list. Others say they promote understanding and contribute to local economies.
To join such a tour or not is a personal choice. However, there is one group who certainly should visit the slums of this world – and that is the local politicians and bureaucrats who have the power to make and implement policies to improve the lot of slum residents.
