07-16-2010
Friday, July16th, 2010
Disasters of Humanity Tourism
Yesterday I purchased my ticket to travel to Vietnam in November. While in the region, I am hoping to travel to Cambodia. Mainly, I want to see the obvious ruins of Angkor Wat, but I am now also debating a trip to Phnom Penh to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
My reasons for traveling to Southeast Asia are completely personal. I’m not going there for business or research. I’m headed in that direction mostly because I need a break to regain my focus on architecture and photography. It is impossible for me to do this without immersing myself in the people in this area actually live and make use of space.
Is it ethical to travel to a place where crimes against humanity have been committed? (Especially if I am coming from a beach resort in Nha Trang?)