Ever Boycotted travel to certain countries?
 

Would you let your political views dictate where you travel? I've encountered folks who boycott travel to certain countries and refuse to buy goods from those places.

Personally, I'd never let my travel interests be altered becasuse I dissaprove of a foreign goverment. Just wondering, where other world wanderers stand on this issue.

David

Yes! South Africa under apartheid. I don;t think you need to agree with all government policies before you visit a country ( who even knows what half of them are for most places you visit). But when a government's actions are so egregious as to amount to crimes against humanity I don;t see how you can in good conscience travel there. (Would you have traveled to Nazi Germany?)

As a child, I did boycott places like Franco's Spain and the Colonels' Greece. I now believe that was a great mistake.

There may be exceptions to what I'm going to say, but I can't think of any in the world right now.

All sanctions damage the poor. UN sanctions against Iraq just gave Saddam and his chums another source of revenue to build palaces and - possibly - weapons programmes, and stopped the flow of food and medicine to most Iraqis. When the US bans imports from Burma, it doesn't hurt the SLORC: it just throws hundreds of thousands of desperately poor Burmese out of work.

There may be occasions - possibly Nazi Germany - where the whole society is rotten, and different arguments might apply. But most sanctions these days are invoked when the ruling minority is exploiting the rest.

Such sanctions, boycotts or whatever never improve the lot of the oppressed. They merely make the boycotter feel good.

At best, gesture politics for the me generation - simple political onanism. At worst, a deliberate and cynical ploy to make the life of the relevant oppressed group worse, so that its plight can make better headlines.

Boycott Israe: a democratic country where people chose to elect a leader charged with crimes against humanity.

Let's show them thet their collective actions in Palestine is appalling and disgusting.

I'm with nytraveler. South Africa under apartheid had a constitution which enshrined inequity. Now I'd love to go.

I had people boycott ME when I went to France last year. I went right as Freedom Fries were the hot topic and the war in Iraq was heating up.

People would ask in general conversation what I was doing in the summer (I'm in education) and I would say going to France and I couldn't believe some of the comments. I was called un-American for supporting the French with my money. As I had already shelled out LOTS of money to a US tour company, I was thinking that I wasn't going to stay home. I explained my reasoning to the teacher - beyond the financial reason but there was no reasoning. I'm going back to Paris in two weeks and still getting comments from people. My personal belief is that by NOT traveling, we are encouraging narrow minded attitudes. I think it is important to encourage travel to other places to have a better understanding of various cultures/governments for meaningful conversations. It's like people who complain about their government here in the US and then you find out they don't participate in the voting process. It makes me crazy. I know travel isn't for everyone, but why criticize those that do?

Off my soap box.... have to prepare Chex Mix for Paris! :)

I think it might be a bit difficult to find a place where you completely agree with the country's politics. I wouldn't boycott another place because of it's politics anymore than I would boycott the USA (where I've lived all my life) simply because I disagree with some of our politics and regulations.

Coldwar - it's too bad that small-minded people inflicted their view on you. I too went to Paris last April when there was a lot of anti-French sentiment, although I didn't have any one voice an opinion (except one friend who was totally outspoken anyway and his opinions didn't bother me). I can't remember a time when I didn't encounter anti-French sentiment any time I said I was going to France or had been there. I loved all those Americans who boycotted France last year since the planes were half full!

I'm glad you stuck to your plan and went anyway. Have a great time this trip.

Interesting that France was mentioned in the replies. I hear anti-French sentiment all the time during conversations on politics and people swear off traveling to France, under any circumstance.

It seems pretty close-minded to avoid an interesting country like France or Germany because of goverment clashes over war.

I agree with Adrienne and let those folks stay home. That way I can travel abroad and have to deal with less of a crowd.

This may sound off-the-wall but I got an email (canned) message the other day from a Jewish friend urging a boycott of Norway for something anti-Semitic that went on there recently. Norway? Come on. Get serious.

They just didn't get any presents from me when I returned. ;)

No I do not BUT I sometimes get heat from friends for visiting Cuba. A wonderful country with very friendly people.

I've never boycotted a country, but I did leave Northern Ireland earlier than I'd planned.

As a matter of fact yes. I swore I would not visit Switzerland until women could vote and I didn't. Have been to Zurich since women were no longer disenfranchised. Perhaps silly to some, but it was important to me.

I would not boycott a country I was interested in, but I might consider boycotting purchasing goods of any country here in the states if I felt strongly enough. Haven't yet.

I, too, was amazed at the number of (ignorant) people who vehemently expressed objection to my continuing with a planned visit to France last year...their loss, not mine. If I were French I'd be against the U.S. policies too. Heck, I'm American and I don't agree with them necessarily!

I am not nearly as well traveled as others on this board, but I wouldn't boycott a country based on politics alone. Just like American politicians are a small fraction of the sentiment of the entire nation, I think most other countries are the same in that regard. I would however chose not to visit a country if I felt that I would be in danger when visiting.

I would not visit the Czech Republic. I always wanted to visit Prague until a friend informed me it is the child pornography capital of the world and the Czech government turns a blind eye to it. Have other Fodorites heard this story. If true would it keep you from visiting the Czech Republic? It makes me sick to think a government would encourage pedophile tours even allowing a red light district to exist exploiting children.

Dear jacksonjr,

This is the first I have heard of such a charge.

Have you investigated your friend's claim?

I chose to forego a trip to China after Tianemen (sp?) Square. It seemed disrespectful to visit as a tourist after so many young had suffered.

Ira: friend saw it on an investigative TV show e.g.60min,20/20. I am reluctant to initiate a search on child pornography on my computer. I was hoping other posters had seen the show.

Hi jackson,

I did google it.

I found some sites discussing allegations of child prostitution in border towns near Germany and a Unicef report on same, but not Prague.