Why We Travel to Burma
There have been calls by many well-intended groups urging travelers not to visit Burma, now known as Myanmar, saying that all forms of tourism supports government repression in the country. However, in the 13 years since the call to boycott tourism the military junta maintains a stranglehold on the country, as seen by the recent crackdown on protesting monks, and Burma has sunk economically to become one of the poorest countries in the world. With tourism being the largest private sector in Burma, SpiceRoads believes that by working with local transport companies, private hotels and air operators tourism can benefit the people.
SpiceRoads knows that it is unavoidable to indirectly contribute a small amount to the government in tax revenues, by buying visas etc., however, we believe it is responsible tourism to encourage engagement with Burmese instead of regarding the country as a no-go area and further isolating the locals.
To maximize the positive impact of our visits to Burma we take small groups and encourage our riders to take the time to stop and talk to locals. By making contact with those whose lives are directly affected by policies and politics the sympathetic foreigner can only help bolster their situation. And we also encourage that any handicrafts and souvenirs are bought directly from the artisans rather than from government shops.
And while SpiceRoads understands the arguments put forth by the various groups calling for a tourism boycott, we feel it is possible to make a trip to Burma rewarding both personally and politically if companies and tourists follow responsible tourism, making the positives of travel to Burma outweigh the negatives.
