tourists
A Tropical Downpour Is a Good Omen
Prince Charles vacationed in India’s Kerala state last week, and on Tuesday he drove into the mountains to visit waterfalls on the Chalakudy River and the nearby Vazhachal Forest. He showed a lot of interest in the research being carried on in that forest, where he met some Kadar employees who help monitor wildlife conditions. […]
Market Forces in Ladakh
The Eurasia Review last week analyzed the effects that increasing tourism and military deployments in northern India are having on the traditional Ladakhi way of life. Widening economic gaps between rural Ladakhis and urbanites in Leh, the regional capital, are one of the problems the article identifies. Traditional agriculture, as described by Norberg-Hodge, Mann, and […]
Visitors to Ifaluk
According to some entries posted last week on a blog by the skipper of the yacht “Jennifer,” which has been sailing through the Outer Islands of Yap State in Micronesia, the culture of Ifaluk Island appears to be resisting changes and modernization. But Lars Hässler, the captain of the yacht and author of the blog […]
Tourism in Ladakh: How Much is Enough?
Tashi Dolma, describing the importance of Ladakhi beliefs in a news story last week, writes that the strength of locals to tolerate the geographical and climatic extremities of their land often leaves visitors flabbergasted. Carried by the South Asian news service ANI, Dolma’s report praises the “age old beliefs of Buddhism,” the colorful prayer flags, […]
Rioting in Egypt Affects Tourism
Looters broke into the world famous Egyptian Museum on Saturday and ripped the heads off two mummies, but soldiers prevented them from getting to the gold mask of King Tutankhamen or the other priceless treasures of Egypt’s incredible history. The soldiers then secured one of the most important museum collections in the world. Burning buildings, […]
Tourism in the Dzongu
While a tourist facility in the sacred Dzongu reserve of North Sikkim has just gotten a blessing from a foreign royal party, it is not clear how increased tourism will affect the lives of the local Lepcha villagers. A news story last week indicated that Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit, […]
Botswana’s Contest with the G/wi
The war of words about the persecution of the San societies in Botswana grew ever hotter last week, though calls for compromise may yet prompt a peaceful resolution of the matter—in line with the heritage, at least, of the G/wi people. A hopeful reading of the news suggests the possibility that both sides of the […]
Tourist Festival in Ladakh Symbolizes Harmony and Peacefulness
The Chief Minister of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, traveled to Leh on Saturday to open the annual Sindhu Darshan festival, which celebrates the peaceful, multi-cultural identity of Ladakh and modern India. The three-day annual festival, held at the time of the full moon in June, was first organized in 1997. […]
Tourist Facility for the Chewong
A Chewong community in Malaysia has a new building designed to display village crafts for tourists, according to a news story last week. Kampung Kuala Gandah, near Temerloh, has used a poorly made building as a store for many years, but the new facility, costing RM200,000 (US$62,000) will significantly boost the ability of the villagers […]
Tourists Trust Ladakhi Shopkeepers [anthology chapter review]
Alex Gillespie analyzes the relationships between tourists in Ladakh and the Ladakhi people on the basis of trust. Tourists visit Ladakh to hike in the mountains, visit remote villages, see Buddhist monasteries, and engage with what they hope will be traditional Ladakhi people. They often are more concerned with the genuine nature of the people […]
