Our view on the tourism boycott

Voices for Burma feels that a blanket boycott on tourism does more harm than good. While widespread, mainstream tourism may shore up the government and provide no insight for tourists into Burma’s unique situation, we feel that responsible tourism can, for the most part, avoid these negative effects. Instead, it can provide much-needed income for the small percentage of ordinary Burmese working in the industry. A blanket boycott would deny these people an income.

In an interview in 2005, Yvette Mahon, former co-director of the pro-boycott Burma Campaign UK, recognised this problem, saying ‘I hate the fact that some ordinary people will be affected by the tourism boycott. It’s not something I feel happy about.’ She went on to justify the boycott as a ‘short-term strategy aimed at ensuring long-term freedom for everybody in Burma, ‘ and pointed out that it’s ‘our responsibility to see that there’s some transition to democracy as quickly as possible.’ But will boycotting tourism really bring democracy to Burma? It’s now been 12 years since the boycott began, and Burma is no closer to achieving political change. Indeed, many say it is further away now than it has ever been. The ‘short-term strategy’ is starting to look like a long-term position, with no end in sight. In the meantime, people suffer. Isn’t it time for another way?