Conspicuously ‘Doing’ Charity: Exploring the Relationship Between Doing Good and Doing Harm in Tourism

Abstract

Tourism forms one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the global economy. As we celebrate tourism and travel opportunities for their ability to contribute to our well-being, global awareness and personal identity and development, we find the contemporary realm for tourist experiences unprecedentedly diverse and accessible. However, the explosion of concern about sustainability in tourism—in terms of both its large carbon footprint and impact upon local environments and populations—has challenged the fine line between the economic benefits of mass tourism and its environmental impact, raising questions as to whether global tourism is a socially harmful and irresponsible form of leisure and consumption in an age of environmental crisis. This chapter explores how the industry and consumers alike have adapted to this new reality through the emergence and promotion of ‘charity-based’ forms of ‘ethical tourism’. Despite its market positioning as an ostensibly ‘progressive’ form of tourism, this chapter problematises how the ethic of this niche market is entirely in keeping with the competitive individualism of consumer capitalism, as the market utilises the display of moral superiority through cultural and consumption practices as a form of cultural capital that can be commodified to continue the industry’s economic growth and the perpetuation of environmental harm.