Endangered sites see boom in 'tourism of doom'

Tracking endangered wildlife in politically troubled, impoverished Zimbabwe might not seem the ideal holiday spot but it’s in hot demand in the travel industry’s latest niche market — "tourism of doom". The term was coined by sector specialists for the growing number of travelers flocking to far-flung corners of the planet to see endangered natural wonders before they disappear. Ken Shapiro, the editor of TravelAge West, a magazine for travel agents, said the destinations can be melting glaciers, shrinking tropical rain forests or other places these travelers believe will be destroyed in a generation due to climate change, overbuilding or other threats to the environment. "People are traveling to places because they really are convinced that it is going to change and they want to see it before that change happens," he told AFP, saying the trend was first spotted about two years ago. "We see that a lot now, it has actually become much more mainstream."