Transcript Geospatial Web

Tourism acting as a factor of integration:
the case of Right-wing extremism and Crime in the Former
GDR
Dagmar Lund-Durlacher
MODUL University Vienna
Background
• Reports over brutal racist attacks in the
former GDR in German and international
media.
• Tourism authorities complain that these
attacks harm their tourism figures, 2007 survey:
• Tourism figures in Saxony-Anhalt could have been 11% higher without neo•
Nazi association.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: in 2006, an estimated 400.000 people
changed their minds about visiting the area, costs up to
200.000 million Euros (IPSOS 2007).
• Reported racist attacks combined with the
existence of a neo-Nazi movement affect
travellers‘ decisions on traveling to the
former GDR.
Research Questions
• Do reported racist attacks and the existence of neo-Nazi
movements in the former GDR states affect travelers‘
decisions on traveling there?
• What reactions and strategies do travelers show and
develop?
• What measures can be applied to combat the negative
effects and counteract negative tourist developments?
• Is tourism able to contribute to reducing right-wing
extremist attidues?
Subject of Study
“Right-wing extremist ideology has its roots in
nationalism and racism. It is governed by the idea
that ethnic affiliation to a nation or race is of the
utmost importance for an individual. All other
interests and values, including civil and human
rights, are subordinate to it.”
Right-wing extremism in Germany:
• No homogenous ideology, but ethnic affiliation
and xenophobia are common charachteristics
• occurs in various forms:
• a violence-prone juvenile sub-culture ,
• right-wing extremist skinheads,
• neo-Nazi groupings propagating a totalitarian
state,
• parties striving to gain political influence.
Source: www.verfassungsschutz.de
Research Method
• Focus group discussions in Berlin
• 3 groups consisting of Berlin citizens with similar
backgrounds and similar distribution of demographic
characteristics (age, gender, familial status)
Focus Group
Family with
children
Couple without
children
Single
Immigrants
3
2
2
East-Berliner
2
1
3
West-Berliner
2
3
2
Total
7
6
7
Topics of the Explorative Study
• Travel behavior to the former GDR states.
• Personal perception and sensitivity towards right-wing
extremism.
• Personal experiences with right-wing extremism during
trips to the former GDR states.
• Changes in travel behavior and strategies to avoid conflicts
with neo-Nazi movement.
Personal perception and sensitivity towards
right-wing extremism
• Sensitivity depends on the social background
• Right-wing extremism is...
•
•
•
•
•
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known through reports in the media
seen as a juvenile phenomen
seen as a form of general crime
not only a German phenomenon, but strongly stirred up through the
media
stronger in the former GDR states than in the ‚old‘ states, because:
• Higher unemployment rate and therefore higher frustration level in
former GDR
• Disorientation of juveniles
• Juvenile‘s jealousy of tourists
• Adults are not used to the mass of foreign tourists and therefore
avoid contact
• Xenophobic attitudes of parents are transefrred to juveniles
Less problematic in highly developed tourist destinations
Change in Travel behavior
• Due to personal experience with xenophobic incident:
• No return to the place where the incident happened.
• Information to friends, family and colleagues and the media.
• Due to media reports on racist attacks:
• Foreign immigrants react more sensitively.
• Berlin-born citizens do not feel like a target group for racist attacks
and see themselves as being well-informed and able to estimate
the danger.
• All would continue to make further trips to the eastern federal
states.
• Boycott of the destination only for a short time after the incident.
• Long-term boycott if there are repeated racist attacks and an
acceptance of right-wing extremist attidudes by local politicians
and/or residents.
Strategies to avoid racist attacks
• Not to be recognized as a foreigner and not to attract
attention.
• To travel in a group, preferably together with Germans.
• To escape from dangerous situations.
Measures to combat the negative effects
• Socio-political measures
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•
•
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Job creation in the former GDR states.
Affirmative action for the youth.
Promotion of a positive tourism attitude amongst population.
Improvement of law regulations to judge right-wing extremists easier.
• Security measures
• Higher presence of police.
• Employment of tourist companions.
• Ban and exclusion of neo-Nazis from certain areas.
• Communication measures
• Informing and educating tourists about the right-wing extremism scene.
• Local politicians, opinion makers and population distance themselves
•
from right-wing extremism ideas.
Creation of a positive attitude among the local population towards
tourists.
Summary
• Frequent, brutal, racist attacks in a tourist destination
have a negative impact on the tourist arrivals in the
destination.
• The open and visible presence of right-wing extremist
groups leads to a decrease in travel to the destination.
• The acceptance of right-wing extremism attitudes by local
politicians, opinion makers and local population leads to a
decrease in travel to the destination.
• Foreigners and foreign tourists in highly developed tourist
destinations are treated more positively than in weakly
developed tourist regions.
Conclusions
Tourism plays an important role in…
• the reduction of prejudices towards foreigners and the
reduction of right-wing extremist attitudes,
• the buildup of dialogues between the local population and
(foreign) tourists, as well as
• the integration of right-extremism minded fringe groups.
Thank you!