Frommer Watch: Boycott Burma?

In this week’s installment of a single of TheExpeditioner.com’s most well-liked and closely followed recurring columns, “Frommer Watch,” we obtain the godfather of globe-trotting in his every day blog calling for a boycott of travel to Burma in the wake of that country’s ruling military junta’s current trial of pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Frommer goes additional, calling out guests to the nation, accusing their travel dollars of assisting to prop-up and assistance the oppressive government.

Not surprisingly, this assertion kicked up very a lively debate from his readers (the greatest in a while) on the question of regardless of whether travel to a non-democratic nation is in fact immoral (or at least unjustifiable).

Wayne from New Zealand argues in the reader comments section that the economy is dependent on tourism, and that no tourism means no food on the table for several persons of Burma.

This elicited an unusually harsh reaction from Arthur (come on Wayne, you should really know much better than to mess with the F-man):

Dear Wayne: Your recital of statements supposedly created to you by the folks of Burma–“we’d like people today to tell our stories”–shows a pitiful acceptance of the false stories spread by the military thugs who rule that nation . . . Your claim that “not all the hotels are in the thrall of the military dictators” is absurd just about every penny you spend in Burma supports the regime. These are positions that are morally bankrupt, and I would hope that you would re-examine your defense of evil, and come to recognize how you have swallowed whole the flimsy arguments of what are possibly the worst military scoundrels in the world right now. Arthur Frommer.

Ouch, “Defense of evil?” I told you Wayne, be careful with whom you pick out to choose a fight with. Anyway, from there this debate on ethical travel continued and is just waiting for a lot more comments. To show your support for Arthur or, god forbid, you really feel like venting your disagreement, verify out the complete post and comments right here.