Adversity tourism

People are surprisingly willing to pay for experiences that make them uncomfortable. For example, they pay to go backpacking and they pay to participate in Tough Mudder; both are escapes from everyday reality. And when they're not roughing it, people enjoy traveling as a way to see / appreciate the world from a different perspective.

So, what if there were organized trips that involved living in neighborhoods like the one portrayed in Slumdog Millionaire or other underserved areas? These trips would be great opportunities for people to truly empathize with the adversity that others live through everyday.

In addition to leaving a lasting impression, it's easy to imagine the proceeds from these programs and subsequent fundraising being used to help improve the communities that people visit. While this idea may feel like a stretch, I wonder whether people would do it.

h/t Richard Price