Buzz
A new form of tourism emerging as a trend in Europe is homeless-guided tours. These budget-friendly tours are the most captivating option for travelers who seek a different perspective of the world-renowned capital.
With a hoarse voice, unkempt hair, and a constant cigarette in hand, Honza Badalec leads the group to the neighborhood where he once resided: “I slept on this pavement and scavenged leftover food from that trash can…” Honza narrates while pointing out to the tourists how he used to fetch drinking water from the fountain in the square.
In Europe, there are countless ways to explore a new city such as biking, bar hopping, visiting museums, ancient castles… these are the conventional methods tourists often opt for. However, have you ever wondered: “How does every street, every park appear to someone living on the streets? How do they perceive this city?
Quite surprisingly, a new form of tourism is on the rise in Europe, known as homeless-guided tours. These are the most sought-after budget tours for travelers wanting to see a different facet of Prague – the world-famous capital of the Czech Republic.
Initially, homeless tourism originated from a volunteer organization called Sock Mob, dedicated to distributing socks and food to the homeless in London, UK. It all began when Sock Mob trained some homeless individuals with basic skills to become tour guides in their own neighborhoods. Each tour costs between 7-10 EURO, half of which goes to the guide while the other half is reinvested in Sock Mob to train the next batch of volunteers.
Honza Baladec, aged 55, is a homeless individual involved with the organization Pragulic and currently serves as a guide for Prague's offbeat tours. He owns a store of old books, collected from dumpsters over the years. Leading the group to the neighborhood where he once lived, Honza shared, “I slept on this pavement and scavenged leftover food from that trash can…”, while showing the tourists how to get drinking water from the fountain in the square.
The purpose of these tours is not only to attract visitors by showcasing the unique lives of homeless people but also to provide tourists with a completely different perspective of the city through the real-life experiences of the guides. Here, they have the opportunity to hear the voices of silent individuals, present in the community of those considered invisible.
Currently, with stable income, the “street guides” of Pragulic have been able to afford themselves cozy apartments, regular meals, warm clothing for winter… This form of tourism not only illuminates the fairy-tale city of Prague but also helps unfortunate individuals change their lives.
***
Source: Travel Handbook Mytour – By: Infonet
MytourJanuary 13, 2014
