04, SEP 2021.

Adventures in Development Tourism

This travelogue narrates Fred’s experience in his travels to about 20 countries during the over 40 years of working in the development sector, more specifically in agricultural and rural development.

Fred saw development tourism as the activities of staff or consultants of a development institution travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for official business related to the mandate of the institution. Such travel could be for meeting, conference, monitoring of project activities, or interactions with project beneficiaries and stakeholders. Embedded in such travel is often an opportunity for the traveller to visit places or engage in activities of interest, or to be accompanied by a partner at his own risk and expense. The interactions and sights in development tourism pique the traveller’s curiosity and interest, and often lead to valuable reflections and learning. Fred had a particular interest in learning about the people, their history, culture, food and environment.