EXPLORING THE ROOTS
OF TOWNSHIP TOURISM Looking for something different than the usual dose of safaris, beach resorts, and restaurants, many foreign tourists are now turning to places that may at first seem to be the antithesis of the typical vacation destination: townships.
far from being viewed as offlimits, no-go-zones that outsiders would be wise to avoid, some township-like areas in cities like Mumbai, Johannesburg, and Rio de Janeiro have now become bonafide tourist attractions, bringing in tens and even hundreds of thousands of curious visitors each year.
Kibera slum is home to nearly a million people. With an average income of less than a pound a day, it is one of the poorest parts of Kenya – a poverty that is attracting Western tourists. Tourism is a money-spinner in many parts of Africa – and for Kenya it is the country’s second largest source of income. Its safaris are world famous, but a recent drop-off in wildlife tourism has given rise to this new type of sightseeing. Several tour operators are now offering a tour of Kibera as part of a package. As a result, township tourism is a growing business.
A Brief History of township Tourism
Whether called a slum, a favela, a barrio, a shantytown, or a ghetto, outsiders recreationally visiting these typically impoverished places is nothing new. There are records of middle and upper class Londoners heading over to the East-End to gawk at the poor in the 19th century, which grew in such popularity that the colloquial term for this endeavor — “slumming” — was included in the 1884 edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Meanwhile, curious visitors began venturing into the Lower East Side of Manhattan. More recently, following the global attention paid to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, many tourists began travelling to see the places where this struggle first arose, as “township tourism” developed into a formalised commercial offering.
Today, township tourism has grown into a legitimate global industry, bringing in over a million tourists per year. Tour operators are now offering visits to places like the townships of Cape Town and Johannesburg, or Kibera of Kenya.
Why Visit a Township?
“For me, there were many factors that initially drew me to visiting what locals referred to as “township areas,” said Tafadzwa Sithole, a travel blogger who often visits disadvantaged urban areas around the world, although never as a part of a formal tour. “I enjoy urban exploration, was researching the topic of the homeless in developing countries, and I found the contrasts of the wealthy urbanites living next to “townships” curious.”
This interest in social issues and concern for the general human condition was one of the main motivations for township visits. However, there is another, perhaps more fundamental, attraction of visiting some township-like areas. The initial rise in interest in local townships in New York and London coincided with the advancements in digital photography. Seeing images of some of these areas provokes the desire in many outsiders to go and see them for themselves. This sentiment has been continuously amplified over time as more and more visuals of the human condition around the world become more readily available. So instead of just consuming these pictures at home and then trying to do something there, people are increasingly trying to follow those images back to their source.
What actually happens on Township Tours?
What you see is life, urban life, which of course is complicated, limited in some ways. Often there is clear evidence of neglect, when sewage or rubbish or all these basic services of a city don't really function. But at the same it's often very lively, vibrant.
Most township tours will usually consist of visits to various project sites, where NGOs or similar organisations are working in the community -- places like schools, educational centres, projects like a bathroom that composts faeces to produce gas for cooking, and, of course, orphanages.
Often, these sites are chosen to show tourists what’s being done to better the community, and sometimes include suggestions as to how they can lend their support, if they so choose.
One of the major impacts of township tourism is the change of perception they often facilitate.
You get to see how it is a place of business, how people work, how people make small but very successful businesses. That . . . is the classical, educational aspect of tourism.”
The Local Reaction?
You may be wondering what the local people in township areas think of groups of relatively moneyed tourists from countries far
away suddenly showing up and poking about?
Sometimes you find hostility. I think it's particular when people feel you've stepped into their personal space. That's like a phenomenon you find with tourism everywhere, though.
One idea is how ethical and responsible the tour guide is during these excursions.
The Controversy
Kibera slum is home to nearly a million people. With an average income of less than a pound a day, it is one of the poorest parts of Kenya – a poverty that is attracting Western tourists. Tourism is a money-spinner in many parts of Africa – and for Kenya it is the country ’s second largest source of income. Its safaris are world famous, but a recent drop-off in wildlife tourism has given rise to this new type of sightseeing.
The new phenomenon is an intrusion into their lives and that they are being treated like animals in a zoo. They don’t welcome muzungus – meaning white people. But muzungu faces are becoming more familiar. Most locals say they don’t benefit from them. Instead, they feel they are just here to be looked at and pitied.
As township tourism grows in popularity it has become an increasingly polarising and controversial topic. While some may look down on the curious tourist, others feel it is great someone is showing some interest in the fact that there's inequality.
What is the Real Impact?
As far as who makes the money from these tours, you can only guess it is the tour operator. And although they claim to give back to the community, who is to say for sure and even if they do, it may be a tiny fraction in comparison You can say, the direct economic stimulation in the communities from these tours is negligible.
It does enable getting out of the rigid value regime which says that an area basically doesn't exist, it's not really part of the city, don't go there, it doesn't matter. By opening the dialogue through experiences like township tours, it builds acceptance and a desire to see a change in the way lower income citizens are treated. That they are not negligible.
Tourists often say they want to educate themselves and don’t intend to offend anyone. But many locals do take offence. They feel their poverty is being exploited. Township tourism is not bound to go away anytime soon. It’s therefore important to teach responsible behaviour while on tours and to encourage governments to upgrade the living conditions and thriving entrepreneurial opportunities available.