Adventure tourists have thrown the remotest mountain region of the country an economic lifeline – but at what cost to ancient traditions and customs? The gains of tourism by way of new jobs and economic growth are tinged with the knowledge that part of their cultural heritage will be lost as the transactional nature of tourism is at odds with the hospitality for which Georgia is famed.
Can Fiji do better to both bring back tourists and build national pride and a sustainable future? Destination campaigns are usually based on the motivations of potential travellers, attempting to tap into those travel desires and turn them into bookings and arrivals. But unless we change the way people and places are conceived and presented, we will perpetuate well-worn clichés and stereotypes.
Great storytelling always wins, in that it reminds us what travel should be about — the place and its host communities. It's a skill that more tourism campaign creators need to harness as part of "building back better."
People with disabilities struggle to have their access needs met – so trying to organise a trip away comes with significant burdens.
For Sarah Clifton-Bligh,...
