ABSTRACT
The preceding discussion has highlighted what we consider to be the main constraints in the analysis of Third World tourism. It is evident that much criticism has centred upon the traditional mass forms of tourism. While a critical analysis of the activities of supranational institutions, such as the IMF and World Bank, and multinational companies is evidently necessary, we have suggested this fails to tell the whole story. It is not just the actions of the ‘big players’ that we must place under investigation (they are in a sense the obvious suspects). It is equally necessary to provide a critique of the actions of environmental organisations or the armies of backpackers whose actions are largely seen as benign or benevolent. As Hutnyk argues, it is necessary to ‘listen attentively to the echoes of power’ (1996: 13). His critique of alternative tourism seeks to trace
3 41 5 6 7 8 91 10 1 2 13111 4 5 6 7 8 9 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30 1 2 3 4 51 6 7 8 9 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Mass consumption Post-Fordist consumption
Purchase of commodities produced Consumption rather than production under mass production dominant
High or growing rate of expenditure New forms of credit and indebtedness on consumer products
Individual producers dominate Almost all aspects of social life become particular industrial markets commodified
Producer dominant Consumer dominant
Little differentiation between Greater differentiation of purchasing commodities patterns
Relatively little choice/producers’ Consumer movements and politicisation of interests reflected consumption
Consumers react against the ‘mass’ and producers more consumer-driven
Many more products and shorter lives
New kinds of specialised commodity emerge
sophisticated discussion because it is
easy to denounce government policies and bodies such as the IMF, but perhaps more difficult to explore constructions of the exotic and the primitive that are superficially sympathetic or progressive but in many ways resonant of traditional evocations of others.
