For some people, road-tripping along Route 66 or visiting Niagara Falls is on their travel bucket list. But following the election of Donald Trump as president in November 2024, they may feel less inspired to visit the USA because of the values he and his supporters represent. Travel companies are even offering ‘get out of the USA free’ flights before the inauguration, and four-year-long cruises around the world to ‘skip forward’ Trump’s presidency. With 17% of Brits now saying they will not travel to the USA in the next year because of Trump, this raises the question of whether a political situation influences the decision of where to travel, and if it should be a key factor; is it closed minded avoiding countries you oppose politically, or does it keep you safe? 

 

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With 17% of Brits now saying they will not travel to the USA in the next year because of Trump, this raises the question of whether a political situation influences the decision of where to travel, and if it should be a key factor

 

Even as a politics student, I hadn’t considered this factor until I visited Poland last year. Months prior to the trip, I had been advocating with a human rights student group for the release of a Polish woman who had been imprisoned for her pro-abortion activism. I listened in anger as she shared her experiences of the Polish political and legal systems. Yet I still booked a solo trip to Gdansk and Warsaw as the flights were cheap and I wanted to explore a new country, failing to connect the two experiences. Coincidentally, I was in Gdansk for International Women’s Day where uniformed men wandered down the main street, handing out flowers to each woman they passed (including me), which I found to be hypocritical and ironic considering the treatment of women in the country. Whilst it didn’t take away from my trip, it showed me the importance of educating myself about the places I was visiting and continuing to stand for what I believed in. 

 

‘Political tourism’ suggests that destination selection when travelling is politically motivated, either by the individual or their government who restrict which countries citizens can visit. It can also mean that tours provided to tourists are managed by a nation’s government, who may hide what they don’t want visitors to see. Travel is an act of both politics and privilege; visitors can engage with a different society’s unique history and culture, but the money they spend and countries they can access varies for each individual. I can acknowledge my privilege as a white woman, as travelling to certain countries may be dangerous for people of colour or members of the LGBT+ community who risk arrest or discrimination due to laws endangering these groups. 

 

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Travel is an act of both politics and privilege; visitors can engage with a different society’s unique history and culture, but the money they spend and countries they can access varies for each individual

 

Factors such as the strength of democracy, standard of human rights, equality for minority groups and press freedoms may shape our views of countries, and influence whether we want to give these systems legitimacy and approval through our tourism. Popular travel destinations like Vietnam, Sri Lanka and the Maldives all rank low in terms of human rights records yet this rarely seems to be considered when people book trips to these locations.

 

Instead, the perspective that we should visit countries for what they are and not let our politics dictate where we travel appears to be a common one. After all, it would be hypocritical to do this, as the UK is far from perfect and I do not agree with everything that the politicians in this country do, but there remain parts to love and explore. Whilst many people don’t even consider politics when planning trips, I do believe it is important to be informed about the reality of life and key issues in these places. Responsible travelling involves awareness and an open mind, including a willingness to engage with local histories and culturally immerse in the places visited, by seeing first-hand how different people live rather than moralising from afar. 

 

Shunning a country you fundamentally disagree with in protest, also known as a tourism boycott, is one option to show opposition to a nation’s practices and hurt its government economically by standing in solidarity with those oppressed by a country’s laws. However, local citizens in these countries are also harmed by boycotts which deprive them of money; their requests should instead be listened to, for example travelling using a responsible tour operator which allows money to go directly to local people through employment and enables tourists to connect with them. 

 

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Shunning a country you fundamentally disagree with in protest, also known as a tourism boycott, is one option to show opposition to a nation’s practices and hurt its government economically by standing in solidarity with those oppressed by a country’s laws

 

Ultimately, motivating factors for deciding where to travel are personal, and people are free to choose where they explore. However, I also believe that my behaviour should be shaped by my values, and I would feel guilty for allowing certain political regimes to profit from my tourism, indicating politics should be a consideration when planning trips abroad. Therefore, I think it is important to adopt travel habits which enable you to visit places you may not agree with, such as buying, staying and eating locally. This way, the diversity of what makes each country unique can be explored and echo chambers are not created, allowing travel to include engaging in cultural exchange by leaving your comfort zone, but in careful and intentional ways. Researching the context and experiencing the place through local tours are some ways that responsible, sensitive and ethical travel can be conducted in morally questionable locations, which I will consider when planning future trips. I may avoid Florida for a while though…

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Washington D.C.: My Experience of the International Model NATO Conference

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Interrailing in Europe: Exhausting but worth it