Human Rights Issues in Tourism Development - Tourism and Development: Concepts and Issues - page 387

explore the concept of human rights, we will now examine some human
rights issues emerging with the development of tourism.
Human Rights Issues in Tourism Development
There is ample evidence in the literature on tourism and development
about growing incidences of human rights abuses in the tourism industry
(Aaronowitz, 2009; Cebezas, 2009; Keefe & Wheat, 1998; Kempadoo, 2004;
Khan, 1998; Ryan & Hall, 2001; Sanghera, 1998). However, the literature
often gives more attention to human rights issues that affect tourists rather
than those affecting people in host destinations and those working in the
industry (Keefe & Wheat, 1998). This section will discuss human rights
issues often occurring in the tourism sector and how they affect tourists,
host countries/communities and the people engaged in the tourism industry.
The most often reported human rights issues in the tourism sector include
inhuman treatment of people (slavery; sexual exploitation of women, men
and children; human trafficking; and child exploitation for labour), labour
rights violations, restrictions on peoples' freedom of settlement and move-
ment, unwarranted security checks of tourists, lack of adequate security for
tourists while on vacations, and unfair business competition between local
small business entities and multi-national corporations (MNCs) in the pro-
duction and provision of goods and services for tourists. Other issues also
include environmental exploitation, slum tourism, political oppression of
local groups and commodification of indigenous cultures. Some of these
issues will be discussed along with examples from tourism destinations in
both developing and developed nations.
Inhuman treatment of people
Human exploitation and slavery are as old as the human race. Slavery
existed in ancient civilisations (e.g. Ancient Greece and Egypt) and continues
into modern times. Assuming slavery activities ended with the formal aboli-
tion of slavery in the 19th century in almost all parts of Europe and America
(where slaves were extensively used) is naïve. Today, despite international
efforts to address slavery, there are still an estimated 27 million people 'forced
to work without pay, under threat of violence, and unable to walk away' (Free
the Slaves, n.d.). This figure is the largest in the history of slavery (Abolition
Media, n.d.), primarily as a result of the increase in the world's population and
expansion of socio-economic activities.
As one of the world's largest socio-economic industries, tourism plays a
role in global human rights abuses and slavery. Discussions related to the
influx of treatment of some workers, especially sex workers through the
activities of pimps, and trafficking in persons, especially women, girls and
children to render sex and produce goods and other services to satisfy the