The question of solidarity in tourism

ABSTRACT

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 inspired some within the tourism industry to react rapidly to support Ukrainians in the crisis. This presents an opportunity to address solidarity through tourism as we confront change in the global order and cascading crises. While some tourism analysts hailed the response in support of Ukraine, others raised critical questions about the absence of care when similar injustices were perpetrated on Global South peoples. This article interrogates these developments as a concern for tourism politics and policy. It examines the expansiveness of solidarity bonds in a world characterised by structural injustices and ongoing imperialism. It suggests a transformation of the World Tourism Organization to focus on harnessing tourism as a tool for equitable solidarity in an era characterised by climate change and multiple crises. It also recommends political astuteness in future tourism analyses, including paying due attention to issues of ongoing structural injustices.

KEYWORDS:

• solidarity tourism
• climate crisis
• justice
• politics of tourism
• Global South
• decolonisation

Acknowledgements

Critical scholarship is built on the shoulders of many brave scholars. The author also acknowledges and is very grateful for the critical and supportive feedback of the reviewers and editor. All faults and omissions remain ours.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).