Andrew Purvis, Deputy Travel Editor at The Telegraph, travelled to São Tomé and Príncipe with us in 2018. He explores what it means to be a kind traveller:
Some Anecdotal Advice for visitors to Sao Tome and Principe
After spending time on Príncipe, the neighbouring island of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea, a new idea began to form in my head: kind travel. As a journalist, my job is to evaluate holidays objectively in terms of service, facilities and value for money, and on Príncipe I found myself doing just that.
A country where Tourism is in its infancy
In one hotel the shower tray leaked, flooding the bedroom. At breakfast, the waiter failed to ask if I wanted coffee and had to be reminded each day. A minibar leaflet trumpeted the various blends of Nespresso available, but in reality there were none. I tutted and harrumphed and made notes about poor service.
Then, as I took time to get to know the local managers, receptionists, waiters, guides and drivers, I got a clearer picture of just how young tourism is on the island. Two of the hotels I stayed at were a year old or less, and it’s true to say that the newly trained staff had not heard of a shower tray, let alone a Nespresso machine, until a few months ago. Nor did they speak a word of English. One manager told me how the names of everyday utensils – knife, fork, spoon, glass – had been written in English on adhesive labels attached to those objects, so Portuguese-speaking recruits could learn them.
An economy where turism could be a force for good
Príncipe is a desperately poor African island with a rural economy – but tourism has the potential to change that. What I saw was the beginning of an experiment in sustainable development, which should be wholly supported.
Does it really matter that a soap dispenser was empty or that the papaya ran out at breakfast? Some people believe it does, and I used to be one of them. Now, I’m inclined to think that allowances should be made for fledgling enterprises in developing countries, and that people in tourism should be judged by their willingness to help rather than the urbanity of their ways.
That’s what I mean by “kind travel” – attempting to understand a country’s culture and issues, seeing the broader context and suspending judgment on the things that matter less. It makes for a happier, more relaxed holiday, too.’
