(This article was published on The Porter Voice Collective)
When money is the bottom line in the trekking tourism industry, the creation of equitable working conditions will rely mainly on the tourists who hire and pay tour operators. As such, it is vital for tourists to act on their roles as advocates to demand fair and equitable treatment of porters in the three biggest trekking tourism industries in the world: Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. Porters continue to face poor working conditions that at times constitute abuse and exploitation on the mountain trails. Whether you are trekking on the Inca trail, Everest Base Camp or Kilimanjaro, it is up to you, the tourist, to speak up and make demands for changes in the way the trekking tourism industry treats its workforce. Here are 8 ways to be an advocate for Workforce Equity in the trekking tourism industry:
Do your research on the workforce issues within the trekking tourism industry. Although information on the exploitative practices within the trekking tourism industry remains minimal and controversial, the amount of information on this topic is on the rise. A few travel publications have published articles on the mistreatment of porters in Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. More often, you will find content that purports to acknowledge the workforce issues facing porters but be forewarned that the entities behind such content are often tour companies that have routinely used the porters’ struggles to serve their own interests by marketing their brand. The Porter Voice Collective website has collected relevant resources on the topic that appear credible. PVC also has obtained direct testimonies and statements from porters themselves, which would be the most reliable source of information for learning about the work inequities within the industry. PVC is a good place to start in terms of attaining a level of awareness about the poor working conditions and inequity issues that porters continue to face.