Synopses & Reviews
Advocating respect for human rights and responsible travel, this impassioned guide offers invaluable insights and advice to travelers who want to behave responsibly, protect civil liberties, and improve the lives of the citizens of the countries they visit. Behind the sandy beaches, panoramic vistas, picturesque villages, and historic treasures there often lies a bleak reality. This unusual travel book turns the traditional format on its head, offering less in the way of travel tips and more detailed information about the political, economic, and human rights status of destinations around the world. Fifteen countries are taken to task for their performance in such areas as poverty, torture, womens rights, censorship, and repression. Hot spots such as Iran, Syria, and Cuba are featured, while popular destinations such as Australia, Mexico, Morocco, and China also come under scrutiny. Each chapter is followed by "What you can do" and "Recommended reading" sections, exhorting the reader to become aware and take action. Inspired by the ethical flying movement and the trend toward investment in projects to offset carbon emissions, this activist handbook will help travelers feel good about venturing to their chosen destination and inspire them to stay involved in a practical way once they return.
Synopsis
Behind the island paradises, panoramic views and historical sites there often lies a different story. Using her twenty-year experience in the field of human rights, personal anecdotes and the testimonies of survivors, Lucy Popescu explores the various abuses that often go unnoticed or are carefully hidden from the tourist. From torture in the Maldives, the labour camps of China, seeking asylum in Australia to execution in Iran. Inspired by the ethical flying drive and the rise in investment of projects to offset carbon emissions, The Good Tourist, rather than deterring tourists from their chosen destination, serves as a practical guide to what you can do after your holiday to help a cause or support a people.
About the Author
Lucy Popescu has traveled extensively and has worked for 20 years in the field of human rights. She reviews and writes about theater and edited the anthology Another Sky: Voices of Conscience from Around the World. Ronald Harwood is an Academy Awardwinning screenwriter, dramatist, and author. Joan Smith is the author of Misogynies, Moralities, and What Will Survive, and writes a weekly column for The Independent and The Independent on Sunday.