Cultural Immersion Versus Appropriation

With so much of tourism now about the experience, questions over cultural appropriation and exploitation are no doubt going to increase.

This is perhaps truest in the luxury sector where money-is-no-object travelers are willing to pay more to do things that ordinary consumers can’t afford.

It’s a subject companies from North America and Europe have dodged for some time and it needs addressing as there’s often a fine line between educating guests and exploiting locals. Just look at the controversial issue of slum tourism.

Of course some businesses do a better job than others when it comes to sensitively integrating cultures into their tourism product, but companies and individual tourists need to recognize the privileged position they occupy and act accordingly.

For feedback or news tips, reach out via email at pw@skift.com or tweet me @paddywhyte.

— Patrick Whyte, Europe Editor

6 Looks at Luxury

Is Luxury Hospitality Guilty of Cultural Appropriation? Education delivered directly from local communities, and informed by tradition, is what distinguishes immersion from appropriation. It’s the job of luxury professionals to facilitate the experience without adding the influence of their own lens.

New Cultural and Business Hub Will Reshape Zurich’s Image: As we have seen in recent years, new multi-use developments can have transformative effects on under-utilized sections of major cities. Zurich is banking on The Circle to create a new reason for tourists to visit the city.

Grassroots Hospitality School Teaches New Generation of Hoteliers Local Diplomacy: A hotel is only as good as its frontline staff. Saira, a grassroots hospitality program, partners with opening hotels to teach locals the craft of hospitality. The result is real service, lower turnover, a link to the community, and sustainable economic development.

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