In addition to employment programs engaging the homeless, tourism-related companies can play a role in working with the homeless. In several cities around the world, pro-poor tourism has become a widespread trend. It has been argued that forms of pro-poor tourism, like slum tourism, can help alleviate poverty; however, successful pro-poor tourism requires extensive planning, “stimulating local involvement, partnerships and procurement” (Harrison, 2008, p. 854). A trend in this type of tourism involves homeless people giving tours of the impoverished sections of cities. One example is in Barcelona, Spain: ‘Hidden City Tours’ offer tourists an alternative view of the city led by a homeless guide (Arias, 2014). While Vancouver does not currently
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As a result, hiring the homeless and touring these areas could be dangerous and unethical; environmental hazards and unstable individuals could pose unpredictable threats to both the tourists and the tour guide. Poverty tourism is also often “criticized as voyeurism and exploitation” due its commercialization of poverty as a tourist commodity (Meschkank, 2011, p. 48). However, the homeless employed by Hidden City Tours in Barcelona, Spain are exclusively selected by a Barcelona based homeless charity and trained thoroughly in a “60 to 80 hour program” (Grace, n.d.). These guides must know the history of both wealthy and impoverished areas before they begin tours; thus, these excursions are not as voyeuristic as slum tours, where they focus solely on the most underprivileged areas. Proponents of these poverty tours argue that enabling the homeless to become tour guides provides a steady income for the individual, and also humanizes the impoverished, historical parts of town. Thus, these poverty tours, often a unique aspect of experiential tourism, can become successful for both the homeless and for the visitors.
In addition to incorporating tourism to alleviate the problem of homelessness, the government can influence major changes. Three important measures of diminishing the homeless on the street include prevention, management and transitional support. These measures have been implemented in other cities with success. Because the government of Vancouver provides the vision and the direction for the future of Vancouver, it can be argued that the role of the city council is fundamental in eradicating the homeless (City of Vancouver,
As a result, hiring the homeless and touring these areas could be dangerous and unethical; environmental hazards and unstable individuals could pose unpredictable threats to both the tourists and the tour guide. Poverty tourism is also often “criticized as voyeurism and exploitation” due its commercialization of poverty as a tourist commodity (Meschkank, 2011, p. 48). However, the homeless employed by Hidden City Tours in Barcelona, Spain are exclusively selected by a Barcelona based homeless charity and trained thoroughly in a “60 to 80 hour program” (Grace, n.d.). These guides must know the history of both wealthy and impoverished areas before they begin tours; thus, these excursions are not as voyeuristic as slum tours, where they focus solely on the most underprivileged areas. Proponents of these poverty tours argue that enabling the homeless to become tour guides provides a steady income for the individual, and also humanizes the impoverished, historical parts of town. Thus, these poverty tours, often a unique aspect of experiential tourism, can become successful for both the homeless and for the visitors.
In addition to incorporating tourism to alleviate the problem of homelessness, the government can influence major changes. Three important measures of diminishing the homeless on the street include prevention, management and transitional support. These measures have been implemented in other cities with success. Because the government of Vancouver provides the vision and the direction for the future of Vancouver, it can be argued that the role of the city council is fundamental in eradicating the homeless (City of Vancouver,