Who would not romanticise a getaway to a serene, secluded, tropical island? Countless languid mornings lounging by the pool, followed by afternoon excursions to quaint cafes, secluded beaches, and maybe the bar. What can be better than the remoteness and dissimilarity combined with frequent home comforts?  

Travel and Privilege: Setting the scene

Whether you are taking a couple of weeks off work to soak up a foreign town’s quintessential culture, golden beaches, and vibrant nightlife, or whether you are a digital nomad, you are in a position of privilege. Which is okay. Travel can be an incredible learning experience, offering the perfect escape. You assume you will be supporting local economies, so what could be a problem? Nonetheless, the tourism industry can sometimes be directly harmful, and the idea of visiting ‘paradise island’ is not as innocent as it sounds.

Privilege between those around you

Remember the ‘gap year’ kids, or those who spent their entire summer break travelling. They most likely boasted about visiting elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, skiing through the entire Alps, and feeling ‘completely healed’ after visiting a wellness retreat in Bali. Perhaps their long straight locks became braided, or they got a temporary henna tattoo. They most likely had parents who were both supportive and financially well-off. 

Inequality in the UK

Away from the gap year cliché, Equality Trust reveals that in the UK, the ‘top fifth’ of the population owns ‘63% of the country’s wealth’ and 36% of the country’s income’. In comparison, the poorest fifth takes just 8% of the country’s income and owns a meagre 0.5% of the country’s entire wealth! Making the UK the 9th most unequal amongst 38 OECD countries! 

Putting this into perspective, the Food Foundation’s Food Insecurity Survey found that 14% of UK households endured food insecurity in January 2025, whilst 5% of households had reported ‘not eating for an entire day’. Disabled people, single-parent families, and people of ethnic minorities are particularly likely to be impacted, according to the Food Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 

What has this got to do with travel?

Clearly, those with more wealth will have more resources that enable them to travel.

Moreover, travel blogger ‘SoJournies‘ revealed that there are numerous ways in which privilege affects people’s ability to travel. She explains that when a traveller benefits from ‘white privilege’, they are not going to be asked ‘where they are really from’. They are also sheltered from ‘microaggressions’ and ‘overt and covert’ racism. There is no need to worry about being ‘racially profiled’ at different points, including airport security. As a white woman, I benefit from this, and I can’t begin to imagine the encumbrance that some have to endure.

Disabled travellers also face many challenges that non disabled people do not need to worry about. These include challenges with accessibility, stigma, and advocacy. Of course, disability varies immensely, so the challenges faced by one disabled person might be very different from the challenges faced by another. Here is a good post you can read coming first-hand from a disabled traveller, who provides tips and encouragement to other disabled travellers. 

But in this sense, disabled people and people of ethnic minorities are not only likely to have fewer resources to enable them to travel. Still, they are also expected to face further challenges throughout. 

As a young woman who faces travel challenges, mainly related to safety, I can only encourage others who face similar obstacles to persevere if they share a love for travel. 

How your home country impacts your travel prospects 

SoJourney also highlights that being from a ‘Western country’ means that travel is likely to be more accessible. This is due to the ease of finding work, ‘passport privilege’, and ‘currency privilege.’

Jobs and CV Boosts

If you are from a Western country, it is easier to find work in a foreign country. The same goes for volunteer placements. People from Western countries frequently travel to non-Western countries to participate in volunteer programs. Sometimes the work can be in areas where the volunteers would be unqualified to conduct the same work in their home country, and locals are often better equipped to carry out the tasks. Western volunteers can enjoy a lovely holiday and boost their CV in exchange for doing something they may not be able to do. 

Soon, I will be sharing a more comprehensive post on voluntourism. If you are considering volunteering abroad, don’t fall into the trap of thinking ‘it is all harmful, so I shouldn’t do it.’ Some placements can be highly beneficial. Still, it is essential to be aware of some of the pitfalls and the context.

Passport Privilege:

According to the Intereuropean Human Aid Association, passport privilege refers to the extent to which one’s home country influences the ease with which they can travel internationally. The Henley Index measures the number of countries a specific passport grants access to, without requiring a visa to be obtained before arrival. If you are from the UK, you can access 186 out of 227 countries without needing a visa, meaning the UK ranks near the top. Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list, where people can only access 25 countries. However, many countries grant their citizens access to only a limited number of places.

Currency Privilege:

Ever been in awe over how cheap the food, alcohol, and clothes are in another country? If so, you can thank currency privilege, which I’d define as the purchasing power of your currency compared to other countries. I found that when I go to Cambodia, I can rent an apartment equipped with a swimming pool for around £400 a month. And apparently a pint costs the equivalent of £1. What? It’s always good to know. 

But can you imagine trying to stay in London if you’re from somewhere where the currency is substantially weaker than the UK’s? Costs about £1000 a month to rent a cardboard box! 

However, what this all shows is that being from a ‘Western country’ means that travelling is likely to be more accessible. Although I do understand that there are still significant nuances between different ‘western’ and ‘non-western’ countries.

And how about the locals?

Economic problems 

Consider an area in your country that first experienced an influx of cranes, followed by exponential price hikes. Things become more expensive for locals as wealthier people begin to settle, and in some cases, people get priced out. 

Similarly, areas that experience sudden rises in tourism often also experience exorbitant price rises. And although job creation is frequently touted as a benefit, the jobs are usually poorly paid and seasonal. They can even displace fundamental local industries, such as agriculture. This, in turn, makes the economy dependent on tourism and erodes traditional customs. 

Cultural Erosion

Aside from economic problems, according to Up-tourist, locally run shops are frequently displaced by shops that cater to tourists. Moreover, ‘cultural practices’ and ‘festivals’ are often ‘commodified’, undermining their authenticity.

The reason behind this, according to tourism anthropology, is that resorts, especially those in developing countries, are frequently marketed towards tourists in ways that do not reflect how the place is perceived or cherished by the locals.

Traditionally, these places were marketed in holiday brochures or on TV. But one could argue that the emergence of social media has exacerbated this, with thousands of creators trying to capture the alluring charm of a place into a ten-second reel, whilst ensuring the footage is ‘Insta-worthy’. Many have argued that this also contributes to the overcrowding of places. 

Are we reinforcing a state of ‘dependency?’

Tourism Anthropology goes further by arguing that the tourism industry has sparked a sense of dependency, where Western tourism developers invest in developing countries. Those with senior jobs in the tourism industry often come from Western governments and therefore have a Western-centric educational background in tourism. Consequently, the developments that occur may not align with the host country’s context. This means that developing countries become dependent on Western developments, while other mechanisms and customs are undermined. Whilst this will create jobs, these are likely to be poorly paid, whilst Western companies will profit immensely.

Historical context: Java as an example

Academic Arnout Meer demonstrates that the tourism industry can be deeply rooted in colonialism. To exert control during the Java war, the Dutch implemented developments, including hospitals where the Dutch could recover from ‘tropical illnesses’ and infrastructure to enable further access by Dutch administrators. Gradually, the area was opened to ‘private interests’, attracting a significant number of international visitors. 

The Dutch, however, held misconceptions about the area, claiming, for example, that many parts of the land were inhabited. Realistically, many of those locations did have prior settlements.

Concurrently, the Dutch reinforced Western idealisation by promoting the cooler climates in the mountainous regions. And they even claimed that the servants in the mountainous areas were more docile compared to the locals, who sometimes protested against Western settlement in Java’s cities. 

How can we do better? 

If you are an avid traveller and you are still reading this, then hats off to you. I don’t know what you are thinking. Still, if you are currently feeling helpless, upset, guilty, or even slightly nihilistic, then it is understandable. 

Having written this post, I am in the same boat as you. The responsibility of fixing things should never entirely fall on the tourist or even the traveller. Instead, businesses and political agencies have a huge responsibility and a lot to answer for. However, suppose you are ‘travelling full time’. In that case, you have slightly more responsibility compared to the average person taking their annual holiday. This is because you have more time to learn about different nuances and make more informed plans and decisions. Your experiences will likely be enlivened by practising some of these.

Acknowledge your privilege

Privilege tends to get thrown around a lot, including by me, and I think the term entails a lot of nuances. Many people can experience setbacks whilst holding privilege in other areas. A white woman who comes from a wealthy family is likely to have more opportunities compared to a black man from a less affluent family. A disabled person who has support and resources would be more likely to access opportunities compared to a disabled person without that support.

Honesty with yourself can go a long way. If someone has performed well academically, they should be proud of themselves. However, it is also true that family support and the quality of education significantly impact how well someone performs. While doing well is an accomplishment, consider how many others could have achieved what you did if they were given the same opportunities. 

Listening to others can be the perfect gateway to begin recognising potential advances or setbacks you have had. This enables you to compare your experiences and challenges with those of other people. 

Many people say, ‘think about how you are privileged,’ and to some, it might seem like an insult. Particularly if you have worked hard or faced other challenges. Others might contend that it enables a ‘victim mentality’. I strongly disagree because if people aren’t aware, it distracts us from the blatant unfairness in our world and takes us to an increasingly futile challenge of ‘who is working the hardest. 

Community-led tourism: 

According to Treehugger, community-based tourism entails travellers inviting residents into their communities to provide an authentic experience of the local culture and traditions. Often, the communities are ‘rural’, ‘economically struggling’, or ‘living below the poverty line’. Community-based tourism enables communities to make decisions and have the money from tourism directly benefit them. This can help local economies, promote cultural preservation, and environmental conservation. 

Supporting local initiatives:

If you are booking a tour, take a look at the description or reviews to try to establish if it is locally led. If you do some searching, you can book directly through a local company. Another tip would be to check whether the company is engaged in conservation efforts.

If you are planning a tour, consider visiting sustainable companies. Multiple companies offer tours that last anywhere from a couple of days to almost a month, so there is bound to be something for everyone. When I went on a group tour, I went with Intrepid Travel, who incorporate sustainable initiatives and supports local NGOs. 

I have found engaging in locally led activities really enjoyable. I am connecting in a way I hadn’t done before, and I am accessing an experience that many tourists wouldn’t typically have. You don’t need to book anything ‘educational’; you can literally see live local music, take an art or cooking class, or even participate in a wine tasting. 

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