Paving my way through the tourism discipline, I have noticed that whenever I travel to a destination, especially the ones that is either not known, lacks accessibility, politically unstable and has a high number of poverty within the community, somehow these places definitely has its charm. 

Despite all the bad at a destination, (which is mainly caused by the human of course), if looking at the place at a larger spectrum and escaping our mind  with a certain dogma, each destination created by God is most definitely worth seeing and appreciated.

It bugs the mind then, when during small talks about a destination and when I hear verbal displease and witnessing unpleasant non verbal ques, it made me wonder: how would you know that the destination is not worthwhile visiting, when you haven’t visited the country? 

Yes, I know to each is his own and one man’s meat is another man’s poison, but even if the meat is poisoned, but when you see the person enjoys the meat wouldn’t the other person have a little inkling of curiosity of why it is still poisonously devoured?

I am curious too, as to how people could speak so plainly over their distaste for a certain country, which in most cases they haven’t visited yet. So, I searched for information, and found that it may be because it is an intuitive emotional response to wages. It means that,  a person with a greater economical  background may produce a certain perception or judgmental review of matter that is beneath their ability in their higher level of social strata. Mind you, this is not just limited to how they view a country only.  Most cases too they may have a certain biased view on people with lower salary as well, because economically, a higher paid person are inclined to pay more on the government taxes, maintain a certain high end lifestyles and other demands of life. Therefore, it makes them possibly feel like why should they visit an impoverished or politically unstable country for tourism? 

Another intriguing point that is worthy to be addressed upon is the Manson’s Law of Avoidance  which says that ‘ the more something threatens your identity, the more you will avoid’. This could be another factor why there are certain individuals whom just wouldn’t go to destinations that is below them since it may threaten they way they view themselves to be. 

These statements however, is not entirely applicable to every being in the world, I am sure that there are exceptional people out there whom visits a country to escape the synonymity in their well to do lives.  

Nevertheless, the unnecessary repulsion for a country which become a hindrance for an individual to travel to one, still never fail to amuse me. This is because as a tourism graduate and a learner, I was taught that the very reason that the global tourism industry is around are because of these three main reasons: for the vitality of economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Meanwhile,at an individual level, tourism too promotes great awareness, harness individual respect towards the differences in culture and inculcates the sense of responsibility to protect one another. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I view that travelling to various parts of the world is a lifelong learning process, enriches the mind, and nourishes the soul: a fundamental value that matures an individual, which makes tourism a ‘beautiful’ activity. In short, tourism activity is a university of life.

Flaubert, Gustave a French novelist once said ‘ travel makes one modest, you see what tiny place you occupy in this world’.  That is simply the reality, but it is just my point of belief.

Zulaika Zakariah/05 September 2019/writingetoscapetheregiment Picture: personal photo , Balok, Pahang.

P/S: Don’t forget MATTA FAIR is on the 6th to 8th of September 2019 at PWTC!!!!