Vacations Offer New World Views : CONSUMER: New Vacation Views : Tours: Destination packages that emphasize political and social issues, not just architecture and art museums, constitute one of the recent trends in travel.

Political-awareness tours are rapidly gaining momentum as alternative forms of travel experiences.

Focusing on issues such as human rights, refugees and land reform, these tours go to destinations both within the United States and abroad.

Like many standard packages, the tours include escorts, inclusive prices covering round-trip flights from a U. S. gateway, accommodations, local transportation during the tour and meals.

Accommodations, although comfortable, will not be in the upper range of hotels, however.

Global Exchange, a 2-year-old nonprofit firm in San Francisco, offers about 12 one- to three-week escorted trips annually, limited to 12 to 15 people in a group.

However, its programs, called “Reality Tours,” are not sold through travel agents.

“We find that we’re getting more people who are tired of the old sterile vacations,” Medea Benjamin, a Global Exchange spokeswoman, said.

Among the international destinations of Global Exchange are the Philippines, Brazil, India, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Panama. Domestically, the company offers such areas as Appalachia, the U.S.-Mexico border and Indian reservations in the Southwest.

Tours scheduled for 1991 include “Human Rights and the Popular Movement in Guatemala and Honduras” (approximately $1,700 out of Houston); “Culture, Politics and Religion in Haiti” ($900 out of Miami), and “Health and Homelessness in the Bay Area” ($150, land arrangements only).

“We’ve even offered a tour to South Africa and Zimbabwe to compare political changes in countries run by white and black governments,” Benjamin said.

“The common thread is to give people a chance to experience grass-roots movements for social change. We try to schedule a variety of voices, including government officials and opposition figures, and let people judge for themselves about the specific issues involved.”

While conceding that Global Exchange does have a motive in its offerings, Benjamin said: “We don’t push it. We want people to become aware and involved, but naturally. They don’t have to become involved or do anything, but if they are interested in causes we can make suggestions on how to participate.”

One of the misconceptions that people have about political-awareness tours, according to Benjamin, is that they aren’t fun and are just for academics and activists.

“These tours are really for everyone, and they aren’t just about sitting in boring meetings all day. We go out and meet people, have parties and go dancing. Education is fun, too.”

Another source of political-awareness tours is the Center for Global Education, a Minneapolis-based, nonprofit operation run by Augsburg College. Most of its trips are 10 to 14 days. The price includes air fare from the U.S. gateway city, plus all meals and accommodations.

While many of the packages can be set up in conjunction with various educational, social and religious organizations, the tours are open to anyone. They are also not sold through travel agents.

Most of the center’s packages are to Central America, although it also has operated tours to the Philippines and the Middle East.

Some upcoming offerings include: “The Role of Women in Church and Society in Mexico,” Aug. 3-11 ($935 from Los Angeles); “Human Rights in El Salvador and Guatemala,” Oct. 12-22 ($1,545 from Chicago); “Religion and Social Justice in Central America,” Oct. 27 to Nov. 5 ($1,625 from Chicago), and “Turning the Tide in Hawaii,” Nov. 4-15 ($1,695 from Los Angeles).

Winter 1991 programs are “Mexico: Hunger and the Church”; “Land Issues in Hawaii,” and “500 Years After Columbus: Guatemala and Arizona,” Feb. 16-27 ($1,520 from Los Angeles).

“The itineraries are very structured, and include meetings with various groups,” Jim Martin-Schramm, the center’s spokesman, said. “We present a balanced perspective of different political and economic persuasions. It’s not just high officials in air-conditioned rooms.

“We also go out to poor urban and rural areas. It’s then up to participants to forge their own opinions on the issues. While we have our own ideas, we don’t take sides.”

Martin-Schramm said that the organization never has had a participant suffer any serious injury due to political unrest.

“Obviously, participants have to realize that we’re going to regions which do have problems and crises,” he said. “But if the situation warrants, we reroute tours. For example, we’ve rescheduled tours to El Salvador to go instead to Honduras and Guatemala.”

The center either has its own staff in countries where it sends tours, or works with a local organization that provides personnel.

“One of the things people have to recognize about this type of tour is that the brochure is more representational than fixed as far as activities and meetings, since things can change at the destination,” Martin-Schramm said.

For more information on available tours, contact the Center for Global Education, Augsburg College, 731 21st Ave. South, Minneapolis, Minn. 55454, (612) 330-1159, and Global Exchange, 2141 Mission St., San Francisco 94910, (415) 255-7296.

Another company that sponsors political-awareness tours is the Pax World Foundation, 4400 East West Highway, Suite 130, Bethesda, Md. 20814, (301) 657-2440.