With the help of modern technology it is easier than ever before to cross the globe in a relatively short amount of time. This means that there are few excuses that can justify a person’s lack of ambition to travel. Traveling has the ability to expose an individual to people and places completely different from what they are used to back at home. Not only is this a humbling experience but it also has the potential to enhance one’s sense of self. Unfortunately, tourism and traveling is often associated with self-centered, ethnocentric, and altogether “ugly” tourists such as those described in Jamaica Kincaid’s book, A Small Place. When done right however, tourism has the potential to be just the opposite, benefiting both the traveler …show more content…
Avoiding the tourist traps of a typical vacation destination is a great way to experience the true meaning of travel, which is to become a more open minded and tolerant individual with a broad knowledge of the customs and cultures of other countries. Living an ordinary life, the brain becomes accustomed to what is familiar. This familiarity actually works to an individual’s disadvantage as they become less imaginative and resourceful thanks to the fact that the brain subconsciously chooses what not to notice in an effort to be more efficient (Lehrer). However, by exposing oneself to places and people outside of ordinary life it becomes possible to “loosen the chains of cognition” making it easier to look at another individual’s life from a more abstract perspective (Lehrer). Only when an individual is outside of their comfort zone are they forced to see that not only does life outside of their mundane little bubble exist, but it’s very different from what they are familiar with. The realization that there are so many different lives unrelated to an individual’s life is very humbling and a fact that everyone needs to be aware …show more content…
Alternative tourism is defined as making “optimal use of environmental resources whilst maintaining and conserving the natural heritage and biodiversity, respect the sociocultural authenticity of local communities, conserve the built and living heritage and traditional values, and offer a positive experience for all” (Weeden 7). This new type of tourism contrasts sharply with the type of ugly tourism described in Kincaid’s book and what experts call “mass tourism” (Weeden 13). Different kinds of alternative tourism include ecotourism, voluntourism, and ethical tourism. Travelers who partake in ecotourism have the environment in mind. These travelers go to parts of the world often endangered by over-consumption such as the amazon rainforest and even try to catch a glimpse of endangered species in their natural habitat (Weeden 7-8). They do this not only in an effort to reverse the course of habitat destruction but also because it is an excellent way to enhance their own sense of self. Voluntourism is one of the fastest growing trends in the tourism industry. No longer are vacationers sun tanning or getting poolside service, now they’re helping less developed countries build schools and run orphanages (Kahn). While critics accuse this as being a self-righteous effort by the volunteers to build their resumes,
A lot of tourists would not think that they are offending the native residents when they travel. In the article, “The Ugly Tourist” excerpt from Jamaica Kincaid’s book, Small Place, she argues that when one is in a state of being a tourist, one does not know the depth of the place and only sees what one wants to see. Kincaid gives a strong idea of what she is arguing when she described a tourist as “an ugly human being.” She presents the emotional conflicts between tourist and the natives by evaluating their different lifestyles.
Whereas, the essay, A Small Place, written by Jamaica Kincaid in 1988, effectively uses an ironical tone to persuade and criticize the close-mindedness of tourists; the review, Antigua and Barbuda, published in www.wheretostay.com, adequately advises readers to visit, by addressing the different types of tourists who would be interested. One of the main differences between these two texts is the tone the authors use. In the essay, A Small Place, the author makes use of a 2nd person perspective to create a narrative the reader can follow and put themselves in the situation. This type of perspective directly points out and speaks to the audience.
“A tourist is an ugly human being. You are not an ugly person all the time; you are not an ugly person ordinarily; you are not an ugly person day to day.” These are the words that Jamaica Kincaid says about tourists. Kincaid believes that her opinion should be heard about how tourism ruins the cultural feel of different Throughout the essay Jamaica Kincaid inform and persuade the readers about tourism, Kincaid uses pathos and ethos to appeal to the audience, and how you can confirm the author’s argument.
Everyone has a different definition of what it means to truly live. In order to find one’s own definition of living, he or she needs to get rid of their tunnel vision and look at the bigger picture. In Alain de Bottom’s essay, “On Habit,” he states that the reason one does not find any interest in their environment after a long period of time is because he or she has become habituated. One only thinks of a newer or more interesting place to visit when one is already familiar with theirs. De Bottom explains that one needs to apply a traveling mind set to an old place and soon there will be a vision of excitement.
Urry, John, The tourist gaze: Leisure and Travel in Contemporary Societies 2nd Ed (London, 2002).
As humans, we love to travel and observe the fascinating world around us. We travel to get out of our home environment, the environment that we usually live in. We tend to have a goal oriented mindset in our home environment. One thinks of the home as more of a punishing then amusing. We prefer to stay at a traveling destination rather than our home. Traveling could be more tiring than staying home but we still chose to travel. The reason behind this is that we think of our home as a boring place. In the essay "on habit", the author Alain de Botton talked about how one can see their home environment in the same way as a traveler would. The author 's main purpose in advocating a traveling mindset as a way of negotiating everyday reality is to
Novelist, Jamaica Kincaid, in her excerpt, The Ugly Tourist 1988, expresses difficulties tourists have brought upon Antigua. She backlashes on tourists who are ultimately ruining her own land, and are oblivious to the political corruption and harm they are causing. Kincaid's purpose is to persuade tourists to take control over their actions and to stay in their own country. She adopts a candid tone in order to appeal to similar experiences in her native Antiguan's/ any native readers. With the use of biting diction, repetition and imagery , she's able to develop and further enhance her argument about the type of people tourists are.
In part fictional and part autobiographical novel “A Small Place” published in 1988, Jamaica Kincaid offers a commentary on how the tenets of white superiority and ignorance seem to emerge naturally from white tourists. She establishes this by using the nameless “you” depicted in the story to elucidate the thoughts they have when visiting such formerly colonized islands. This inner mentality of the white tourists reveals how tourism is still a form of oppression for the natives of such formerly colonized tourists as it continues to exploit them. I will be focusing primarily on page 10 of the text to illustrate this.
Ecotourism is defined according to Higgins (2006) as travel that preserves the environment and promotes the welfare of local people. Costa Rica is often viewed as the epicenter of ecotourism; in brief it has become the leading destination for ecotourism in Latin America (Horton, 2009). Although ecotourism has been an integral part of the Costa Rican economy over the past decades, there is a significant need to look into the neoliberal policies that drive the sector as there is research that illustrates the detriment it can cause a local community. Furthermore, Costa Rica’s ecotourism boom occurred as a result of the government’s rapid expansion of protected areas in the 1970s and 1980s to cast one fourth of the national territory (Horton, 2009). In terms of environmental efficiency, a report by the CIA (2014) highlights that Costa Rica is effectively managing its overall Carbon emission from consumption of energy at a modest 6.806 million Mt, which is measured in metric tons. Ranking Costa Rica 116th in terms of consumption, whereas Ecuador a country with similar characteristics, ranks 76th out of all countries in the world. There is also strong signals that highlight the economic role that ecotourism has formed, by the late 1990s, employing 12 percent of Costa Rica’s labor force (Horton, 2006). The forces at play, construct the system that originally initiated the ecotourism boom and has led it to this point. Thus, the implications of ecotourism in Costa Rica have widely varied from preserving forest, reducing the carbon emission from consumption of energy and incorporating ecotourism as an effective sector of the economy. However I will point out there needs to be a more broad emphasis on the counter narratives that ecotourism ...
The traveler goes somewhere because there is something there to see or learn, and his reports of his goings-on are centered upon what is there and its relationships to ideas. The purpose of a trip for such a person is to learn, and also allow others to learn from what findings the person observes. While many people have never traveled around the world, they may still be aware of what is going on there,...
There is arising of concern for the need of conservation and the well-being of our environment is now firmly in the vision of the public. A corresponding upsurge in tourism all over the world leading to the phenomenon is happening and referred as ‘mass tourism’ (Krippendorf, 1987). In conjunction with this unparalleled growth of mass tourism as a user of the mother of nature, concern has been shown over the relationship of the natural environment with tourist activities (Hunter & Green, 1995). Therefore, ecotourism is emerging as one of the rapid growing tourism industry in this era.
Measuring A Small Place against these three benchmarks reveals that the work is deceptively disguised to deliver a specific message. Kincaid’s work, often critical of the tourist, is ineffective as a typical travel broacher, or work of travel literature. However, it is successful
"…brings into contact people from different nations, socioeconomic classes, and ethnicities." (p. 2) As such, the authors argue that historical studies of tourism reveal human interaction that is "both pleasurable and profitable as well as exploitative and depleting."
The world is a magnificent place that’s full of life and new places. Places that are waiting to be walked upon and viewed by the eye’s of travelers. To make new memories and go places that is beyond the walls of reality and new pathways of life. To truly experience the wonders that the world has to offer can be expressed by the life of one single person, setting off into the world to gain a higher purpose about the world. Traveling individually enables people to broaden their minds and accumulate new ideas and new experiences both nationally and internationally. By setting off into the world a person has the ability to learn so many new things, but also find so much about themselves while in the process of traveling.
The world is full of wonders and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, that we take advantage of. Traveling is the ultimate education and it never fails as a teacher. It teaches you things no class can about the world and yourself. Seeing a historical spot and being in the environment it is in teaches you what no text book can. Most people hear about what is happening in the world through the bias not understanding media. However, if you are a traveler the real world influences you in a way the media will never be able to. We understand how the world works with its many cultures and lifestyles. Being a part of and experiencing different cultures broadens your views of the world and changing’s what you think of the world. Having expanded knowledge and understanding about culture is not the only thing travelers have. Finding your true self and learning about who you are is the best thing about being a traveler. There is no better way to find yourself because when you travel you open yourself up to millions of opportunities. Without travel you may be completely unaware of your true persona. Your limits are tested and you are completely out of your comfort zone when traveling. Getting out of the comfort zone helps you grow as a person and see your potential. I have experienced many different cultures that have personally changed myself and my outlook of the world. Traveling has given me the greatest education I know more about the world, cultures, and myself. Being a traveler is a huge blessing in my life I am so glad I am able to travel and see the world. Nothing can take away the memories that traveling and being a traveler has brought me. Get out there and see this beautiful world for yourself and become a traveler, you will not regret