tourism

We also visited the Bo Kaap area on the 19th. The houses are very colorful and we were told this development was aimed at tourists. I am being very conscious of the role of tourism. What role does tourism play in development of a country? During free time, we have visited the V&A Waterfront and an area in the Waterkant. Both areas had visible security and seemed to be aimed at tourists. Why would tourists be more heavily protected than actual citizens/locals?

I visited the Greenmarket Square as well and was talking to a stall keeper about the World Cup. He had questions about my opinion of what sort of business the World Cup would bring. He was hoping that the World Cup would bring sustained tourism and business. Unfortunately, what I see in downtown Denver, I feel like the sustainability of such events is not strong. There could be considerable development to make the city look good and be enjoyable for the actual event. These developments remain after the event is over and could attract people. I am more cynical about the potential though.

Haggling at the Greenmarket made me aware of my position as a tourist. Many of the stall keepers would ask where I was from. Although a local could get many of these goods for cheaper, I felt a strong expectation to pay more because of my position as a wealthy American. There was a strained look in some of the shop keepers’ eyes. They could make a profit with a fair price, but I felt they expected more from a tourist.