If someone told you they are going to Kenya for Holiday, you probably were going to assume they will land on the sandy beaches of Mombasa! with white sand and ever so blue water, visible from horizons which just calms your nerves! Or maybe they will go to Maasai Mara! where animals and exotic culture is just amazing but No! things have changed, after seeing Maasai for many years, now the interest has changed. Tourists want to see the poorest of the poor, eating and sleeping next to their shit! (forgive for use of word) but surely, why would someone pays thousands of money to go tour Kibera?
Tour Companies are making a killing for this `exotic' tour package but how does it become enjoyable to the tourist. Seeing children rummaging damp site for food? seeing individuals crying with pain? houses without walls? Sewers that run between meals ? ....and yet the locals are free to invite the tourist, who films and take photos of their degrading livelihood for a few shillings!
Some tourists and organizations have been beneficial in setting up facilities like schools, medical centres and self help groups but majority are just there for a laugh!
So what could be a good solution to slum tourism?
Tour Companies are making a killing for this `exotic' tour package but how does it become enjoyable to the tourist. Seeing children rummaging damp site for food? seeing individuals crying with pain? houses without walls? Sewers that run between meals ? ....and yet the locals are free to invite the tourist, who films and take photos of their degrading livelihood for a few shillings!
Some tourists and organizations have been beneficial in setting up facilities like schools, medical centres and self help groups but majority are just there for a laugh!
So what could be a good solution to slum tourism?
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