Last shelter survival state immigration2/13/2024 ![]() ![]() "As I traveled, my heart was suffering, but my eyes were in delight," said Alejandra Peña, from Venezuela, who traversed the jungle with her three children, partner, and elderly parents last year while en route to the U.S. Many naturalists and bird watchers are drawn to the park, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981 due to its biodiversity, dramatic scenery and indigenous communities.Įven some migrants recognize the paradox of the jungle's attractions. Panama's government hopes to turn the Darien National Park into "the main eco-tourism destination in Central America," according to the country's 2020-2025 master plan for sustainable tourism. Social media has helped fuel the interest in visiting some of the world's most remote, inaccessible places, as travelers increasingly show off the risk and exclusivity of their journeys through selfies and TikTok videos. The global adventure tourism market is booming, experts say, with its expenditures topping $680 billion, according to a 2021 report from the Adventure Travel Trade Association. "We migrants have to fight against all the risks without any kind of help," she said. The family wandered six days through the mountains, passing corpses as they ran out of food, she says, and relying on scraps of blue cloth tied to trees by migrants to help mark the path for those who followed. But instead of tourist-style protection, Garcia's guide abandoned them two days into the trek. Kisbel Garcia, a migrant from Venezuela, said she paid over $4,000 to a guide who promised to lead her and her four children and mother-in-law safely through the jungle. ![]() Migrants, at the mercy of smuggling gangs, often receive far less for their money. Marco Wanske, a 31-year-old German who went on a 12-day jungle trek in January, said everyone in his group sustained minor injuries such as "jungle rot," a fungus that affects the feet, and one person had to be carried out by the group on the last day because she was unable to walk. ![]() Depending on the type of trip, tourist packages can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars per person for a package that can include medical care, satellite phones, appropriate equipment and a cook. Trip advertising does not mention the humanitarian crisis. ![]()
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