These Travelers Are Vacationing in Countries the State Department Warns Are Too Dangerous to Visit

People are finding ways to visit dangerous spots, including those on the State Department’s list of countries flagged as Level 4: Do Not Travel.Last year, social media feeds were inundated with influencers posting pictures with the armed members of the Taliban. Heavily criticized, the sensational content nonetheless revealed a fascination among Western content creators with the oppressive regime that has decimated women’s rights in its five years of rule. Apart from influencers, well-heeled travelers are also on a quest to see dangerous destinations, such as North Korea, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Palestine. Their motivations, unlike those of creators, are not social media currency necessarily, though it may play a part.People are finding ways to visit dangerous places, including those flagged by the State Department as Level 4: Do Not Travel. These are not just conflict-affected countries, but also unstable nations, those governed by authoritarian regimes, or at risk of attacks. The Thrill of DangerCuriosity, commemoration, and even boredom can be reasons for people to be attracted to destinations that are deemed dangerous, Debbie Leslie, a professor of international relations at Queen’s University Belfast, explains. “There is definitely an element of voyeurism in those visiting destinations recently affected by conflict, and sometimes there are adrenaline junkies who want to brag about their brave exploits. But those voyeuristic elements morph into more accepted forms of commemoration the longer time goes on.” Continue Reading Article After Our Video Recommended Fodor’s Video Conflict tourism is not a new phenomenon; it has existed for centuries–people even traveled to see the Battle of Waterloo. “But with tourism now much more affordable and available, these journeys are more accessible to more people,” Leslie points out.There are, in fact, several companies that will help navigate visas, permits, and insurance, and offer expertise in destinations where travelers need to be more careful and sensitive of their surroundings.Rocky Road Travel, which began in 2014 with a tour of North Korea, specializes in “hard to reach and misunderstood destinations.” Their clients are people curious about destinations often reduced to headlines. Founder Shane Horan mentions, “They are interested in history, politics, culture, architecture, food and everyday life—not simply in ‘going somewhere dangerous.’” James Willcox, founder of Untamed Borders, a travel company that organizes trips to Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and others, also makes it clear that they don’t take people to active war zones. Their destinations may be difficult for an individual to visit because of the region’s remoteness, a challenging climate, or increased security risk. But the company specializes in managing these trips not just for travelers, but also for researchers, journalists, and artists.Their guests share a sense of adventure, and if they’re booking a trip to Afghanistan or Yemen, they are likely experienced travelers drawn to history, architecture, and culture.Terms MatterA research paper differentiates between adventure travel, conflict-zone tourism, and dark tourism. They may be used interchangeably, but there are imperceptible differences. Adventure tourism is an umbrella term that encompasses all types of adventurous activities and combines thrill, natural environments, risk, and physical or mental effort. Climbing Everest may be one example, but so are skydiving and hiking. Dark tourism involves visiting sites of death and suffering for reflection, remembrance or understanding, such as World War II sites or 9/11 memorials. Dark tourism is narrative-based, and Leslie explains that dark tourists visit already settled sites such as museums and battlefields. But conflict tourism involves visiting places currently involved in conflicts, not necessarily wars but also politically unstable destinations, “motivated by the desire for a calculated risk-adventure, a search for a memorable experience, a moral-political tourism, a self-fulfilling endeavor, and a cultural immersion in an unpredictable environment.’’Untamed Borders’ Willcox refrains from using phrases such as extreme tourism, dangerous or dark travel, or conflict tourism. He says that the company offers a more rounded view of destinations rather than sweeping generalizations. “We offer a broad range of trips—these include many cultural trips, along with skiing, trekking, and running tours. The people who are traveling on our trekking and skiing tours are seeking a physical and cultural adventure, meanwhile our cultural trips are likely to bring a slightly different clientele, who are more interested in a historical and cultural journey through a country.”Horan also notes that they don’t sell wars or people’s trauma. They curate journeys to places that deserve to be understood. However, they visit only when conditions are appropriate, and locals welcome it. But Leslie finds the whole enterprise problematic, no matter the terminology. She refers to this as “security washing,” and says that there are ethical questions about privilege, commodification, voyeurism, and making a spectacle of someone’s misery that are ignored.Related: Why Does Anyone Risk Their Lives for Adventure Travel?The Traveler’s Gaze and Colonial PrivilegeAn important distinction that visitors make is that they are travelers, not tourists. This won’t be their first trip abroad, so they are experienced and well-heeled. They desire to visit places where mass tourism doesn’t exist; these off-the-beaten spots are not westernized. Amid this, it’s important to understand that colonial logics are at work. Professor Debbie Leslie states that in their portrayal in the media, the locals are reduced to passive victims with no agency, and what matters is how the visitors feel during the encounter with violence. She cites Simon Reeve’s BBC series Around the World, “where the prominent story is his pity when looking at (and making a spectacle of) misery, poverty or trauma.”Adventure tourism has been shaped by colonizers who set out to explore the world to acquire more land. Even today, these activities are dominated by the wealthy and the privileged, mostly from Western nations. In the paper quoted above, researchers interviewed 19 people, and at least one admitted to using their dual nationality to navigate the danger.Everyone has a different risk perception and tolerance. Travelers who visit these destinations also rationalize the risks they are undertaking. Untamed Borders and Rocky Road Travel both confirm that they update itineraries or cancel trips if the risk is too high.Yet travelers from western countries do underestimate the risks. After all, they have the privilege to extract themselves from dangerous situations, Leslie notes. “Private security firms can be hired to take people into war zones, but also extract them when needed.” This is an advantage that locals might not have—no one is sending planes to extract them if a war breaks out.Commodification of misery and sanitization of conflict are issues that adventurers may have to contend with if they’re visiting these areas. Sometimes, tourists get access and freedom that is denied to locals. In tightly controlled societies, tour guides still need to edit themselves, and the regimes control the narrative. But conflict tourism can be used for good, researchers conclude. First, explorers can help tourism development and help recovery initiatives. Visits to heritage sites can also preserve them and boost the post-war economy. Willcox reaffirms that tourism can help nations recover, citing Syria as an example which has seen a resurgence in tourism numbers, renovation of historic sites, and construction of new hotels. “There is a huge potential for tourism in regions where there has been conflict,” says Leslie. “To help with both the economic recovery of a destination, providing a valuable source of employment and providing a hugely important cultural exchange that gives benefit to both the visitor and the communities visited.”As for their portrayal in the media, use foreground local voices and remove the Western gaze, Leslie recommends. It requires a commitment to overturning the seductive logic to cater to the desire of Western audiences for an emotional engagement. People living in these conflict regions—whether past or present—are not for sale for your views.Related: The World’s 5 Most Expensive Extreme Travel Experiences