Comments for Bending Tree Arts

Comment on Almost back by Margaret Thorson

Margaret Thorson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:44:46 +0000

Welcome home. Can’t wait to see you and hear all about it. Missed you.

Comment on Pondering tourism by Margaret Thorson

Margaret Thorson — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:03:10 +0000

Living on the same small island as Betsy I know that I enjoy having the summer people come back every summer. By that time I need some new people to talk to, the new perspectives and ideas that they bring. But huge bunches of tourists just bring chaos. too many people for the locals to relate to as well as the tourists not being able to really get to know anything about the locals.. Everyone may make money but other benefits get lost. How to have one without the other is a dilema but one worth working on.

Comment on Pondering tourism by Joanna

Joanna — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:33:55 +0000

What a great way of putting it Margaret. I would be much more comfortable with the version where it is supplementary to the way of life and reflects hospitality rather than it being the focus of economic life.

I can understand your quandary Betsy, as I look at what would be good business sense here in rural Latvia and what would be a hindrance.

Comment on Pondering tourism by Margaret Thorson

Margaret Thorson — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:41:40 +0000

I’m thinking that what you have seen is the difference in welcoming travelers and encouraging TOURISM. One just makes room for extra people while going on with their lives, the other changes their lives to focus on making money from tourists. It’s a fine line but when deciding how to relate to the whole thing an idea which needs to be considered.

Comment on Pondering tourism by Betsy

Betsy — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:07:49 +0000

Hi, Joanna –

The more I think about it, the thornier this subject becomes. Our own island community has resisted tourism fiercely (and successfully) over the years, but at the same time we make use of nearby larger islands to sell things that we make and grow.

Tourism involves a strange packaging of traditional ways which seems to cater to the outlanders´ideas of how these third world people should live. For example, here in Granada you can have a pricey ride around town in a darling little horse-drawn carriage. Very quaint. On the other hand, the locals who pass by in dusty little horse-drawn carriages full of firewood or banana leaves would certainly much rather have a Toyota pickup.

I guess the one big advantage which I can see in tourism would center on endangered environments. I´d rather see rainforest residents setting up ecolodges and canopy zip-line tours than clear-cutting in order to farm or make charcoal.

The whole topic still confuses me.