Travel Tip 71
How to spot exploitative tourism
The Inca Trail goes through delicate archeological sites like Wiñay Wayna, which is why they don’t allow mules to carry gear. Human porters are hired to carry all the gear used on the Inca Trail, which is highly problematic.
My top three tips to identify exploitative tourism
This is a very complex topic, but I’m defining exploitation very narrowly here to be economic and cultural exploitation in terms of tourism. Be sure to read the blog below this travel tip, to see what exploitation looks like here in Peru.
1. Where do the profits go?
One of the most common forms of exploitation takes the profits away from local communities. Using a community for tourism but taking away all the profits is a modern continuation of colonialism. Look for locally owned companies that employ locals and keep company profits in the community.
2. Are you interacting with locals or observing them as if they were a museum exhibit?
One thing to look for is if experiences with locals are framed as learning from them, or if it’s about seeing them. It’s a subtle difference that you can’t always tell ahead of time. Look for workshops led by locals and farm-to-table restaurants that serve locally grown food that’s important in their culture. The video at the bottom of this newsletter is a great example!
3. Are the cultural experiences led by community members?
This isn’t always easy to figure out ahead of time, so ask questions before you sign up for a tour. Is the guide from the community that you’re visiting? This can be tricky when there are language barriers, but if you have a guide from somewhere else, make sure that they’re translating for locals, not speaking for them.
Do the Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu’s sister site, where the trail doesn’t require porters.
Blog
This may sound like sacrilege from somebody who lives in Cusco and depends on tourism, but I have learned too much about the problems with the Inca Trail to not share what I know. The way this trek is done, with porters, is deeply problematic. My favorite alternative to the Inca Trail is Choquequirao, above. This is a long blog, but I hope lots of people read it to the end. If you know anybody considering a trip to Peru, please send them this blog!
Many sections of the Inca Trail are ancient stone stairs, which quickly hurt your knees if you’re carrying any weight.
Article
Problems Afoot on the Inca Trail
I’ve been wanting to write this article for years. I officially interviewed eleven people for this article, but also included information I learned when working for an Inca Trail tour operator in 2019 and my own experiences hiking the Inca Trail in 2017 and 2019. It’s such a touchy subject that I’ve already gotten pushback from tour companies where I live in Cusco.
Video
Community-Led Enterprise in the Sacred Valley
I don’t usually include videos because I don’t do videos, but this is a great one! It’s made by Shivya Nathwho came to Cusco earlier this year. I met her on Instagram and am thrilled that she’s so interested in the lives of the people who live in the Sacred Valley and the Cusco region.