A child on the roadside runs to the dusty curb and begs, his pleads bridging the language barrier through raw despair. Behind him, a group of children hold disease-ridden hands out high. A bedraggled girl sits in a doorway. She hasn’t the energy to stand, let alone beg, so she begs with her eyes. You pass over remains of the day’s lunch but a full stomach transforms to a conscience of guilt. 

To any traveller journeying through lands struck by crisis these are familiar pangs. But what are the bonds of responsibility that confront tourists in lands ravaged by poverty, war, disaster or famine? Should tourists be there at all? The ethics of visiting stricken countries seem as grey as the dark clouds of ruin that hang over them. 

Some consider tourists a positive factor in desperate times, putting rich money into the hands of those who need it most. Others point toward the extra burden tourists put on already strained resources and the reality of fund diversion which often means the tourist dollar ends up in the hands of Western-run (and often located) tour operators or a selective group of local rich elite.

Talk to those directly affected and eyes light up, as though you were ready to stuff handfuls of cash in their very pockets. “Our people are not just poor, they are starving, with no hope other than the help of the outside world,” says Malawian journalist, Chimbizga M. “Westerners bring much needed money and spend it in our markets which puts food directly in the mouths of our children.”

The central African nation of Malawi is a high profile example. A country of endless natural beauty, with friendly people and a tourism industry previously undergoing growth, it is now in the midst of a severe drought and resultant food shortages. With heightened and often sensationalised media coverage, tourist bookings have been increasingly cancelled with prospective enquiries on the wane. This despite calls for continued and much needed tourist patronage by government bodies and tourism organisations.

John Douglas, Director of a UK organisation representing the Malawi Tourism Industry Board says there has been a notable downturn in tourist numbers since reporting of problems began gaining momentum over six months ago.

“The problem is that the ‘famine’ is not currently as bad as perceived. By not travelling, tourists are simply depriving Malawi of a source of economic input which is more important to its survival than ever,” says Douglas.

“Although making statements that people should continue visiting crisis-hit countries can be superficially interpreted on the ruthless, insensitive side, when properly explained there is obvious inherent economic logic in continued patronage.

“Simply, tourists should continue to travel – they are in no way taking food from local people, as some claim. The tourist dollar is of vital importance to help alleviate Malawi’s problems in the short and long term.”

Tour operators are also reporting a significant downturn in bookings to destinations such as Malawi and Zambia since the media coverage of a famine in Southern Africa began. 

Chris McIntyre, Managing Director of Sunvil Africa Tours and a leader in the recent ‘Tourism Aid to Southern Africa’ campaign, feels that tourist cancellations, swayed by negative and inaccurate stories in the media, have only exasperated problems by robbing communities of much needed income to buy food.

“One couple were due to travel to Malawi but cancelled their trip after seeing television coverage of the areas worst affected by the famine. In real terms, their cancellation deprived the Malawian economy, and mostly small Malawian businesses, of around US$6,200. 

“Coverage like the BBC TV story, which showed people eating mice as evidence of how bad the situation is, put them off travelling. What wasn’t conveyed was that grain-fed mice are something of a bar-snack in many Southern African countries and are eaten with relish in good years and bad.”

McIntyre is another passionate believer in the benefits of so-called ‘sensitive tourism’. 

“It can be an extremely positive agent in developing local communities, earning substantial revenue and actively offsetting the impact of crop failures. 

“Often the problem is not that there’s an absolute dearth of food in these places; the problem is that poorer members of the community cannot afford what food there is.

“Tourism, like most industries, has its problems. The trick is to maximise its positive impacts by making it as responsible as possible and that goes for both operators like Sunvil and the individual traveller.”

UK-based organisation, Tourism Concern, lobbies strongly for responsible tourism industry practices and believes tourism could be an economic saving grace for many countries.

“What’s needed is the type of tourism that benefits people directly; tourism that doesn’t put extra strain on meagre resources but still puts money in the hands of those who need it the most – the locals. And this is even more so in times of crisis,” says a Tourism Concern spokesperson.

“If tourism and its supporting infrastructure is organised well, it is a powerful development and recovery tool for many desolated regions and countries. As the world’s largest industry, it obviously has huge economic potential. What is important is the word ‘sustainable’. If managed properly, tourism can provide poorer communities with a vital route out of poverty.”

Proving the point is Zambia’s Luangwa Valley tourism district where tour groups and individual travellers have long been lured by outstanding ecological beauty and wildlife.

Over 75% of the community – 23,000 people – living within the park’s vicinity are reliant on tourism for income. With tourist numbers dwindling, locals fear that they too will soon face the problems of their cousins in drought-affected areas. 

The drop in tourists, and income, prompted the Luangwa Valley Chief to make a public plea encouraging visitors back to the area.

“We need tourists to visit the Luangwa Valley, and Zambia, as they sustain many people through jobs and associated industries. Without tourism these people quickly lose their jobs and there will not be enough money to buy food as the prices of maize are expected to rise,” read an official statement released by the Hon. Chief Kakumbi 7^th.

“The reality is that most tourists do not visit areas affected by droughts and famine,” says a Tourism Concern spokesperson. “But their income is still needed to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.”

Selina Fox, spokesperson for VSO, an international volunteer organisation operating in many countries in crisis, feels a large slice of responsibility for sustainable tourism rests with industry and government rather than individuals.

“Take the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a stunningly beautiful country with a wildlife that is unsurpassed in continental Africa. Should the country stabilise from its current civil war problems it will need serious development of infrastructure before tourists can arrive in any numbers,” says Fox.

“Roads, accommodation and transport are all basic necessities for even the most intrepid travellers. The first tourist operators will have to be very committed to the country to work with governments and invest at such a level. Even if the political will, financial support, good governance and security are all in place, it takes decades to lift a country out of poverty. 

 “I do believe, however, that responsible tourism helps generate income, employment and forges stronger links between countries and communities both on an individual and a business level.”

But what of the experience of travellers on the ground? American Kim Kennamer, who has been living and travelling in over 15 African countries including Mugabe-ravaged Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ghana and Togo over the past two years, gives a clearer picture of the realities of travelling in crisis-hit countries. 

“I’ve been warmly welcomed everywhere I’ve travelled in Africa. The biggest problem is the moral dilemma you’re faced with when asked for money on the street. Tourists are seen as rich, which by comparison we are, but obviously you can’t hand out money to everyone who asks; it’s not practical and often not the best way to help.

“From what I’ve witnessed, I don’t think countries in crisis should immediately be seen as off limits for travellers. If a tourist’s presence endangers a rescue mission or deprives locals of food, obviously it’s not a good idea to go. The same goes for travelling in areas that puts a traveller at personal risk. 

“That being said, warnings put out by Government agencies like the US State Department I’ve always found inaccurate or too inclusive. The State Department still advises against travel to Bwindi Forest in Uganda – the site for viewing mountain gorillas – and the Parc Nacional des Volcans in Rwanda. I travelled to both these places after seeking local advice and found them to be highlights of my stay in Africa.

“I’ve always felt fairly secure travelling through troubled areas. Tourists will always be an easy target, especially in large cities, markets and bus stations but I think that stays a concern across the globe, whether a country is experiencing economic problems or not.

“There are certain extremes where a crisis firmly dictates a country as a no-go zone: I recently cancelled a trip to Cote D’Ivoire as it would be foolish to visit a country experiencing violent civil unrest.”

During an extended stay in Zimbabwe, Kim saw first hand how the decline in tourism, a direct result of Mugabe’s land reform program and associated violence, has affected local economies and lives.

“When I visited the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, a site once considered as one of the most popular historical attractions in Southern Africa, I was one of only five visitors for the day. I also did a horseback safari at a small game park near Mutare where they were receiving so few guests that the park guides no longer came to work. Victoria Falls seems to be one of the few places still attracting a noticeable number of visitors, but even they are hurting.”

By consensus it seems tourism as an industry has a growing role in the economic and social recovery of troubled nations. If that role is to be fulfilled dutifully, it will take a carefully managed balance between the sensibilities of traveller, tourist operator and government in unison with local communities trying at once to protect their environment while using it to earn a living through tourism. 

But as one Malawian operator states matter-of-factly: “A tourism industry requires tourists to stay alive.” And so, it seems, do countries in crisis.