Great points brought out here. The attitude and not the money or class is what separates the conscious traveler from the unconscious tourist. The traveler has an awareness and a sensitivity that there is a culture already there that may or may not be receptive to outsiders. Often, poverty and not wealth brings on this sense of humility. The wealthy have a tendency to think that they can go wherever they want and do whatever they please because they have the money to do it, with little regard to the fact that no one invited them.
Also, I give you as a gift a word that I invented with my fellow travelers:
Touron; a combination of a tourist and a moron (all the definitions have been outlined in this thread.) Mindless tourism, often harmful to the local environment, with no regard for local people or place.
This is especially evident in Alaskan cruises. As part of the cruise, they give you a brochure about how much damage the ship is doing to the environment, and they are bragging! Yes, I was happy to have the opportunity to see Alaska on a cruise, but is it really necessary to have that many ships out there diong all that damage?
Good luck with the articles.
