Holiday with a conscience - making a difference

Choosing to holiday in Africa is a big decision -
- It generally involves an (expensive) long-haul flight,
- It's more difficult and costlier to get around once you arrive,
- Food and general hygiene and living conditions are often not what you are used to,
- Your senses and emotions will be at times be assaulted by overwhelming exposure to impoverishment,
- It is an expensive holiday compared to other destinations,
- Safety and security - we are all hyper-aware of unknown danger and travelling in strange countries makes us doubly so,
- Travel warnings - anxious to reduce any possible risk to their citizens, governments can overreact to incidents and condemn an entire country.

And herein lies the rub. Over the four years that Him Outdoors and I have been visiting Kenya, we've seen the tourist industry crash and burn after a couple of terror incidents in local taxi ranks and markets in north-east Kenya. Returning to Nairobi after a weekend in Mombasa one time, we were astounded by the jostling, noisy crowd of foreign tourists pushing their way to the check-in counters. There wasn't a seat to be had on any airline and lots of shouting ensued. Everyone wanted to get out of Mombasa NOW.

We immediately knew why the chaotic scene was playing out - the drive-by shooting at a local bar a few days previously, a bar we'd actually parked outside while in the queue for the ferry into Mombasa. A local man enjoying his Tusker was killed and this is very sad indeed but how did it affect hundreds of tourists holed up in their luxury beach hotels miles away?

Ditto the bomb in a mainland Lamu marketplace. Lamu is more than a town, an island and an archipelago, it is also a county, ie state or province, encompassing both islands and mainland. Lamu was splashed on front pages across the world and the tourist cancellations rolled in faster than high tide. The fact that tourists to Lamu were on an island many kilometres and a boat ride away from the mainland market, in absolutely no danger, didn't receive any airtime. 

No matter, Africa is dangerous, right? Let's not go there. And within months, hotels on the Mombasa coast began closing with estimates of 1500 people losing their jobs while the Lamu tourist industry ground to a halt. Understand that in Africa, a breadwinner is a highly valued member not only of his family but of his community. He/she supports up to 3 generations of a large extended family and is critical to the survival and education of his clan. When that income dries up, many suffer and no, social security isn't even a pipe dream in Africa. There is absolutely nothing coming in to the household.

Let's put a personal face on it, shall we? While in Malindi recently I made a quaint little restaurant my daily 'go-to' place where I spent time engaging with Lawrence the waiter. Lawrence has a sharp sense of humour and is filled with stories of days gone by and ideas for resurrecting the dead and buried Malindi tourist scene. Lawrence was once a receptionist at a hotel, considered by the community as a very prestigious job indeed. He was full of helpful suggestions for places to visit and recommended trustworthy guides and drivers if needed. He'd built up his contacts over his years of helping hotel guests make their local travel arrangements.

So what happened when Malindi, almost 300 kilometres away from Lamu and the same from Mombasa, suffered the collapse of foreign tourism? Lawrence's hotel closed and he was out of work. He considers himself blessed to have his restaurant job, spending long days on his feet and suffering rude customers (I watched one lady flatly refuse to stop smoking inside the tiny restaurant and be very rude to him regarding the wine he served), but it's a far cry from being a respected receptionist.

Lawrence waiting for customers

"Marketing!" He exclaims. "No-one is marketing Malindi and we don't have enough big hotels. The tourists don't come here anymore. Once, the high season was July to September and then end October to January. Now, we are lucky if we have a busy December."

Yet daily, Lawrence, the chef and the dishwasher don their crisp uniforms and diligently unlock the restaurant door. Tables are laid and cutlery shined then they sit down to wait for a customer. Usually, that was me, their solitary client for the lunch service, sometimes there would be a party of four for dinner.

There is little industry or agriculture in the area and Africa as a whole is heavily reliant on tourism so when that drains away, impoverishment and desperation rise - the scales are heavily loaded. 

Do your homework well but keep your commonsense wits about you when reading about African destinations. Big cities are big cities the world over, they are no more dangerous in Africa than anywhere else but what you will find throughout the continent are warm people eager to greet and engage with you and willing to help and get involved if needed. And for the love of all that is holy, Africa is a continent of 54 countries and over 1000 languages. It covers an enormous landmass so no, if there is Ebola in the Congo it doesn't affect your holiday in Cape Town! But you might want to watch out for Texas, more people have had Ebola there than in Kenya...

Your visit to Africa, to anywhere in Africa, has immense repercussions far beyond an annual vacation. It's a lifeline providing dignity and self-respect to hundreds of people reliant on the job created by tourism. Consider it a charitable contribution if you will, and smile while paying a premium for your holiday package. I promise you that you will gain so much more than the pain of a holiday that isn't as comfortable, perhaps, as you can get elsewhere. Here, your dollars make a difference to a descending ladder of dependants. Here, you find life that is real, energised and grounded. The breathtaking beauty, warm and friendly people, the timeless quality of cultural heritage will revitalise your soul and you'll take home so much more than memories and photographs.

Beaches with room!