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5.1 Tourism in the Caribbean

5.2 The host country
5.3 The source country
5.4 Tourism and the economy
5.5 Careers in tourism
5.6 Tourism and the physical environment
5.7 Land use and beach access
5.8 The social and cultural environment
5.9 National and international policies
5.10 Challenges for tourism
5.11 Cooperation and technology
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 5.1 Tourism in the Caribbean

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 Why tourism is important
• Most Caribbean
economies depend on
tourism.
• Tourism affects the
Caribbean
environment.
• Tourism affects our
culture and way of life.

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 Sun, sand and sea
• Most tourists visit the
region because of:
– its warm and sunny
climate
– its marine resources:
sea, coral reefs, waves
and marine life
– its location, not too far
from North America or
Europe.

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 Accommodation
Tourists use different types of accommodation.
• Hotels (European plan): meals are not
included, so tourists often use independent
restaurants, bars, water sports and taxis.
• All-inclusive resorts: tourists rarely leave the
property, except on organized tours.
• Vacation homes and timeshares: tourists
organize their own routine, and spend money
with independent businesses.
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 Other tourism products
There are many other
tourism products, such as:
•yachting
•sports tourism: spectator
or participant
•health tourism
•ecotourism
•business tourism
•cruise ships

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 Marine resources
Many tourism products depend on the region’s
marine resources.

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 5.2 The host country

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 The host country
The Caribbean is a host region for tourism. It is a
destination for tourists from overseas.
Tourists are attracted by:
•the marine and land environment
•accommodation and services
•accessibility for long-distance travel
•well-managed public services
•effective sales and marketing efforts
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 The Caribbean and its competitors
Top Caribbean destinations Top destinations worldwide
Country Number of tourists Country Number of tourists

Dominican Republic 4.3 million France 76.8 million

Cuba 2.7 million USA 59.7 million

Jamaica 1.8 million China 55.7 million

Puerto Rico 1.4 million Spain 52.7 million

Bahamas 1.3 million Italy 43.6 million

Aruba 0.9 million Britain 28.1 million

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 Which are strong points for
Caribbean tourism:
• The natural environment?
• Accessibility: seaports and airports?
• Cost of tourist services and accommodation?
• Quality of services and accommodation?
• Infrastructure?
• Cultural heritage?
• Safety, security and stability?
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 5.3 The source country

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 Source countries
Major source countries
have… The main source countries
• a large population Country Population GDP per
(million) person
• a high average income Germany 82 44,000
• a culture where people
USA 313 48,000
enjoy overseas travel
• good accessibility to host or China 1,350 5,400
destination countries Britain 62 39,000
Which of the main source
France 65 44,000
countries are important for
the Caribbean? Canada 35 50,000

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 5.4 Tourism and the economy

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 Tourism and the economy
• Tourism earns foreign exchange, to pay for
imported goods and services.
• Tourism provides jobs, in hotels and other
businesses.
• Tourism pays taxes which help pay for
government services.
• Tourism encourages governments to improve
roads, airports and other infrastructures.

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 Some problems with tourism
Caribbean economies need to increase the
benefits they gain from tourism.
•Hotels often use imported foods and furnishings.
Using local inputs could benefit businesses and
employment.
•Some hotels receive generous tax incentives, so
contribute little to government expenses.
•Cruise ships provide fewer economic benefits
than land-based tourism.
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 5.5 Careers in tourism

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 Careers in tourism
Tourism provides many career paths:
• working in a hotel or established business
• starting an independent business as an
entrepreneur
Most jobs in tourism require:
• good inter-personal skills, to interact with
customers, co-workers and managers
• long hours of work, and a flexible approach

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 Hotel careers
Hotels provide jobs at
many levels:
• chief executive
• managerial
• professional
• clerical, administrative
• skilled
• technical
• semi-skilled, unskilled

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 Training and qualifications
• Jobs in tourism need a good general
education.
• All need a good standard of literacy and
numeracy.
• Specialist training institutions provide skills,
such as food and beverage preparation or
hotel reception.
• Many jobs require a degree or professional
qualification.
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 Career openings
1. Make a list of jobs in a hotel.
2. What other established businesses provide
jobs which are linked to tourism?
3. Make a list of small businesses which are
linked to tourism.

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 5.6 Tourism and the
physical environment

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 The physical environment
A large hotel may have a
major impact on the
environment through:
• clearing vegetation
• draining wetlands
• using scarce supplies of
fresh water
• producing sewage
• altering the marine
environment
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 Taking care of the environment
A major hotel project requires a careful
environmental impact study.
Hotels can reduce their environmental impact,
for example by:
• using solar water heaters
• organizing water sports to minimize reef damage
• using recycled water for irrigation and cleaning
• protecting existing trees and planting new ones

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 Preserving historical sites
• Tourism can provide the
incentive to preserve
historic sites such as the
Cabrits National Park in
Dominica.
• Tourists pay an entrance
fee and provide jobs for
guides and drivers.
• Dominicans visit to
learn about their own
heritage.
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 5.7 Land use and beach access

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 Land use and beach access
• Tourists and local
residents want easy
access to beaches.
• What legal measures
should be taken to
protect beach access?

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 5.8 The social and cultural
environment

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 Social and cultural environment
• In the 1950s and 1960s,
only the very rich could
afford Caribbean travel.
• Tourists now come from
every social group.
• The cultural gap is less
than it was before.
• What impact does
tourism now have on
Caribbean culture and
way of life?
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 5.9 National and international
policies

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 National policies for tourism
Caribbean governments
assist tourism by:
• promoting investment
• investing in airports,
roads and other
infrastructure
• providing education
• assisting with marketing
• protecting the
environment
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 Agencies promoting tourism
• National: ministries of tourism, tourist
boards, hotel associations.
• Regional: Caribbean Tourism Organisation,
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
• International agencies: World Tourism
Organisation, donor agencies.

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 5.10 Challenges for tourism

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 Challenges for tourism
• Competing destinations
• Cruise ship competition
• Finance for investment
• Labour issues
• Air access
• Water supply
• Marketing and research
• Terrorism and crime

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 5.11 Cooperation and technology

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 Cooperation and technology
• Caricom countries can work together on
tourism issues.
• CTO and CTHA can promote the Caribbean as
a single destination.
• Airlines such as Caribbean Airline and LIAT
connect Caribbean countries.
• Tourists from the Caribbean visit other
countries in the region.

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