Travel Outfitters Assist in Burma Cyclone Relief

Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 05.12.08 | 11:03 AM ET

The government of Burma (Myanmar) has blocked legions of foreign aid workers from entering the country to help with cyclone relief efforts, but a couple of outside travel companies have been able to offer at least some assistance. Most notably, Colorado-based Asia Transpacific Journeys, with dozens of local staff members and three Westerners in the country, has been distributing thousands of water filters around Yangon, the Los Angeles Times reports. Their efforts raise an interesting issue related to the ongoing debate over the ethics of traveling to Burma.

Not long ago, Arthur Frommer, among others, denounced tour operators leading visitors into the country and called on travelers to boycott the nation to avoid propping up its brutal government. Yet many travelers have continued to argue that visiting Burma in a responsible way can help locals and potentially lead to change.

In this case, if you want to see the Burmese people get some help in spite of their government, you have to chalk one up for the pro-visit side, it seems to me. Those travel outfitters with staff and contacts in Burma are in a much better position to help than those that have sought (with the best of intentions) to further isolate the country.

I’d be curious to hear what other think.

Photo by jmhullot via Flickr, (Creative Commons)