I'm British and been in and around Asia about 18 months now. I agree with the article's sentiment. I might even take it a step further to say that such tourism is a metaphor for the West's relationship with Asia. I'm currently in China where the majority of my, and I suspect your, material possessions where manafactured. It is such an alien culture to me yet it is fundamental to how I live my daily life no matter where I reside. This disparity reminds me of the article's distaste for Westerners mindlessly enjoying SE Asia. Perhaps in a way it's as if the entirety of the West is having a "holiday" in China?
There certainly are a huge number of westerners who go visit Asia and treat it like its Epcot Center in Disney World like a zoo that exists for their pleasure. These are real working cities with distinct and ancient cultures that should be respected. Too many westerners take advantage of the genuine hospitality offered by locals and never take the time to educate themselves, instead spending the whole time partying.
