Travel Trend: Slum Tourism

As new ways of traveling surface and explorers search for more authentic ways to get in touch with their new surroundings, a new trend emerges that exposes travelers to the harsh reality of some of the world´s poorest communities: slum tourism.

The goal of such tourism is to allow travelers to see the good, the bad and the not-so-pretty sides of areas of India so tour participants can get a real view of all ways of life. Cosmopolitan cities offer all sorts of amenities that cater to the comfort levels of foreigners, but by visiting areas where tourists rarely set foot, a different and more realistic image of particular pockets of the country comes to life.

Not everyone agrees slum tourism is ethically acceptable. Some critics classify this type of tourism as voyeurism and exploitation as the suffering of people is on display for all to see. However, some tour groups use proceeds from the tours to give back to and strengthen the community.

Reality Tours and Travel is one company that specializes in this type of tourism with city tours of Mumbai and Delhi in India. Eighty percent of the tour company´s profits are returned to the local community by way of high-quality education and extracurricular activities that would normally not be available.

Whether slum tourism is ethically appropriate, the idea has the potential to open the eyes of travelers and possibly encourage them to give back in their own ways.