When tourist resorts are built on land that was previously green space, farmland or wetland, change the landscape of an area they The habitat of wild and (plant and animat tif animal life respectively) is destroyed, which, in some cases is leading to a drop in the numbers of wild animals (see the sea turtle case study on page 272). Changes to land use and quality can also affect the environment. Obviously when agricultural land s built on, fewer crops can ra J But when not eno igh soil and natural habitats are left between developed areas, this can lead to problems with drainage as there is no soil to absorb, ainwater, which can lead to flooding. Also, when too many trees are cut down, this can increase pollution as there are fewer trees to absorb harmful pollutants in the air. Cutting down too many trees can also lead to soil erosion and landslides as there no tree roots holding the soil together. Building on wetland areas can be particularly damaging to ecology as land may be drained to be built on. This can result in soil and debris that was previously absorbed by the coral and g into the sea and damagi Coral reefs are a huge attraction for tourists but are very sensitive to pollution. Sewage, soil washed into fitter, which increases with higher rates of tourism, can kill algae, a source of food for coral Pollution from pesticides and fertilisers used on gardens and golf courses are also sometimes washed in h ge coral 5 rivers and the sea where they damage ‘ has also been : Coral reefs have taken other wildlife. In od 10 sell to tourists, is of years to grow an remo’ Hl thousands and suppor thousan lof species of fish, coral and other species. Healthy 5 from erosion and wave reefs also protect coastline : ad contribute billions of dollars to economic The Caribbean action coral reefs cannot through tourism be replaced and for these reasons it ‘re protected and conserved. This 1» why, it st (Caribbean countries, there are laws to p 5 vital that they is why, in some irs can destroy coral Rie building of deep sea harbours can desi Cit sels. The flow of boats into and ov ings an fas Jead to coastal erosion as well a ‘also damage reefs and atfecting t which in turn can increase beach erosion and damage seafront property. Q CHECK Use the information on these pages to complete the following sentences in your own words 1. Building high-rise tourist resorts onthe coast can damage 2. Reclamation of wetland for bulfing can cause 3. Damage to coral reefs caused by harbours and pollution can affect... 4 ancient coral reefs in the Caribbean are Beautiful : ider threat from mass tourism, overdevelopment and ————o— rnoll cs Caribbean sea turtles Many government and non-government groups the tourist trade to protect the cultural are working with environment and conserve historical and sites, In this way, tourism can have a positive impact other organisations to spend money on protecting and jeveloping sites that otherwise may have deteriorated Conservation occurs in a variety of ways. art of this unit, some hotels the ‘As mentioned at the st and resorts are built with consideration for environment in mind, Eco-friendly or ‘green’ hotels: use natural sources of power where possible (eg, solar or hydro power) source locally-grown produce and employ local stall are built to blend in with the natural environment sotels and resorts measure their environmental. Green impact by carrying out : 1. How many species of sea turtle are there? 2. Describe two human actions that have led to a decline in the number of sea turtles (EIAs) are 2 impact assessments means of evaluat the environmental impacts o! tourism product or development. They measure b the benefits and the drawbacks of their impact on th socio-economic, cultural and human health of th locality. An EIA should be done at the plan’ of a project to identily any problematic areas a"! solutions to these issues prior to the developmen built or product being launched. As well as 9" the environment, ELAS can save money a¥ po" problems are identified and resolved early 0” process, thus avoiding expensive clean-u‘THE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE CARIBBEAN SCREEN \ Toseodet ps | ‘needs on Ea etONtroning ten erent re seaSCOPNG DECISION — MaKiNG Decangnew trseN iL Sooeieteraeners se ec erecta ss ober eranee seone (CBlecing the view of ne erica those ory the project wil aes YN pee ao | act The elements involved in an environmental imp: assessment, tally-fni our project W gislation dtolegislateagainst dam: mage can come from s femgeronitor) However, thts OY forthe ‘inplace. The Convention P ae of the Marine Environment of 1h jean Region (Cartagena convention) ti ‘regional environmental een ¢ wider Caribbea jes of the wil 2 Sifeoa ea. Individual countries vation regarding public access 10 age tothe environment, 9 many sources and there are some otection beaches, building regulations and land development, conservation of wildlife and noise and air pollution. Protection of flora, fauna and historical sites Many countries contain national parks and marine eserves, These areas are protected and cannot be built on. Examples are the Cockpit Country Reserve in Jamaica and the Folkestone Marine Reserve Jn Barbados. Important organisations involved in the upkeep, protection and accessibility of these areas for visitors and locals are the National Trust (most Caribbean countries have their own) and the Caribbean Conservation Association. These organisations also protect many historical and cultural buildings and sites. In addition to these organisations, many smaller charities and volunteer groups promote conservation on the islands. CASE STUDY The Barbados Sea Turtle Project The Barbados Sea Turtle Project (BSTP) is wun by the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus). It operates a 24hour sea turtle hotline to monitor sea turtle sightings and address see turtle emergencies. Hotel staff, visitors and beach users are encouraged to call when they see a nest threatened by high tides or hatchlings disoriented by lights. They will then receive a visit by trained patrols or, altematively, obtain guidance over the telephone ‘As well 2s monitoring and rescuing turtles, the orgenisation advises locals and visitors on ture protection. In 2007, the Swim with the turtles attraction was listed as one of the top 100 sustainable tourism activities on islands, anywhere in the world, as a result of BSTP% rolein advising visitors on how to enjoy the island’ turtles ina sustainable way, cee)cas Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica Listed as a UNESCO World Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica is a natural tropical forest, which includes amazing. volcanic hot springs, thre As pas, this national park is of gre itis 4,342 metre-high More Trois Pitons iding 50 fumarol he site contains the Conservation and tourists alike, as outlined Foundation Report that led to the establishment of this area as a national park: Tt wurpose of a Dominica National Park ... should be the p' ural resources the people of Dominica. In re and the physical welfare 1e park would be a source of pleast additioy education for the Dominicans themselves, as well as for tourists who seek a quality experience differen d elsewhere in the Carib from what is off RM. Wright, Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica: A (Case Study in Park Establishment in the Developing Werld, 12 Ecology L. @. 747 (1985). Available at: http://scholarship law. berkeley.edulela/volt2/iss4/3 4. State three ways in which BSTP conserves Barbados turile population 2, What are the benefits of Morne Trois Pitons being declared a World Heritage Site? 3. What part can the public play in the protection of both Barbados’ turtles and ‘Morne Trois Pitons National Parkin Dominica? ACTIVITYS > sociocultura Tourism and tt environment ‘As well as aflecting the economy, tourism has 2 bis impact on the sociocultural dynamics of a count" The following pages look at different ways that society is impacted by tourism. Land use Tourism developments, such as resorts, llc apartments and golf courses, use large amous' land in the Caribbean. Most tourist sites are bu! coastal land with views of, and easy access sea, However, with limited amounts of land ov particularly on the smaller islands, the distrib land must be carefully managed. Tourism is the economy of the Caribbean but, if 100 {s sold off, this can lead to a lack of available private homes, agriculture or public use.Furs devslopmens ean ako ae the wake of in front of it, blocki Is Its view, its v; _ crea Atthe samerime,thehigh coastal land in the ¢ ale wil decrease aribbean incre. / locals are required to p ' i Ileare aired or nor ropa asa Bec tetsrmeeen renee eee afford an Inland family home. Some governmeme are responding by building affordable family homes in their countries for local people. Some Catibbean governments, such as Trinidad and Tobago, also have restrictions on how much land can be sold to for buyers. 2 Some farmers have sold off agricultural land at high pricesto tourism developers. Thishas benefited farmers and their families, but many people are concerned that tourism is being invested in too heavily at the exper of other sources of income, such as agriculture. Anotherissuc is regarding access to beaches resources. In all Commonwealth Caribbean countries, beaches below the high-water mark are public spaces, In many countries, the law protects public access to all beaches. In reality, though, some hotels and resorts make accessing beaches difficult ‘THE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE CARIBBEAN OOo Debate the motion: Hotels and resorts should bbe obliged to provide clear signage and easy access to beaches on their developments. Visitors’ perceptions of Caribbean society Some people come to the Caribbean simply for the weather, the beaches and to relax. They are not interested in connecting with locals or discovering local culture. Other visitors may comet the Caribbean specifically for festivals or cultural or sporting events Some people have preconceived ideas of what they think Caribbean culture and people are like ~ these ideas may be reinforced or challenged by a visit to the ‘The law in most Caribbean countries states that all beaches need to allow public access. On this beach, local people haul in a fishing boat while tourists the beachfront hotelHove coming to the Caribbean, The people are always happy and ents SY seem genuinely friendly . not just because they're The easy life! after my money. ‘Although Stephen has never lived in Jamai mum and dad come from the country and his 5, still lives there. Last year, when Stephen was 16, the went to visit. Stephen loved the sun, se ee, pace of life in Jamaica, having attended a sti private schoollin the UK. While he wes visitng, ne Flocaligroup ofboys. A couple of these boys worken ‘nother two had just finished school and what they would do next. Each day, Ste relax on the beach with his new friends right the whole group would hang out and Isten reggae music. Since Stephen friends much money, Stephen paid for most , drinks and snacks. Stephen also met a girl while he was in Jamaica and started a relationship with Everything felt so much freer and easier in Jams and Stephen has decided that he wants to university there. enjoy holidaying in the Caribbean but feel guilty about staying in a nice hotel when so many of the local people are obviously struggling to make ends meet. at was hassled on the beach all the time by people wanting to sell me things and local men trying to chat me up. | think hotels should be allowed their own private beaches. Love the simplicity of life in the Caribbean, People are friendly, ife is straightforward and everyone is relaxed, experience ent to what hempanies cater i Pe come Specifically fo, {ant to meet Caribbean people a while in the ¢, visit Caribbean schools, £ glimpse of what daily people and have a 1 of local life aribb aste ‘arms or workpl; A lifes tike. ome {h00se t0 stay in locatly-ran guess neues AY a guest in a private home with a c, order to experience authe: laces to get a ven as caribbean family ntic Caribbean life . Where tourists choose to stay to do whilst on holiday, also inttuences the of interaction they have with local people. ¢ people can meet local artisans % fairs and local markets, where they may buy locally. made orlocally- grown produce and cratts, This creates a positive exchange between locals and tourists, Local People may become resentful towards tourists visting their islands who only stay in their resorts or wi imported or cheap, poorly-made goods. and what they choose amount aribbean, and producers at craft ho buy aribbean on a global holiday review site well as country-specific sites, such as ents regarding visitor perceptions Caribbean people, both good and bad Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to at advice the UK government gives Mean lace Ro ee | FACT CHECK | Visit wnw.homestaysgrenada.com/ for details of holidays where tourists stay in the homes of the local people. Can you find an equivalent tourist service in your country? Relationships between citizens and visitors Financially, the relationship between tourist and Gitizens is largely a positive one as the tourist spends ‘money in the host county. This relationship moves beyond financial gain if the tourist or her resort and visits local attractions, restaurants and shops. As wel as enabling tourists to meet local people, tourism can also be a great way for local Citizens to meet people of other nationalities who they may otherwise not have the chance to meet Socialising with people from other backgrounds, culturesand traditions helps to broaden people'sminds ved ideas and break down tures out of his and can challenge precor stereotypes. Some people, however, are worried about the number of international visitors to the Caribbean. ‘There is concern that too many tourists in a country, particularly from the USA and Europe, may create dissatisfaction, particularly in young people who see tourists with more money and material possessions than them. Tourists, by their very nature, have also come away to relax. Therefore, although they may work very hard at home, what local people see is tourists lazing around and taking it easy. This can be difficult for local people to accept, particularly if they are working hard themselves and cannot afford to take holidays. 27c Some local people see all tourists as being rich and lazy. and may try to take advantage of this by overcharging them or pretending to befriend them just to benefit financially from them. In reality, of course, most tourists work hard for the rest of the year and save for a long time to be able to afford to go on holiday. Some tourists will even work while on holiday, or will pay for their holiday in instalments to make it affordable. Otherpeople worry that the ‘holiday eel’ on Caribbean islands could encourage local people to become lazy and adopt the lifestyle of the tourists they see. There is also concern that tourists may bring in influences of American and European culture, through the way they dress, speak and act, which could dilute Caribbean culture. For example, people may want 10 wear expensive foreign-made clothes that they see tourists wearing rather than buy locally-produced items, or they may become dissatisfied with their life as a result of hearing tourists talk about the lives they lead at home. © Design two questionnaires. One should gain an insight into tourists’ thoughts and feelings about the Caribbean and its people, and the ‘other should gain insight into the views of citizens on tourists. Include opportunities for ‘both tourists and citizens to suggest ways that the relationship between citizens and tourists could be improved. ’ Attitudes of citizens to tourism ‘There are four main attitudes that citizens may adopt towards tourists, Sometimes, citizens may show a mixture of these attitudes at different times and under different circumstances, Citizens’ attitudes towards tourists may be shaped by past experiences, titudes of others around them (particularly friends family) and preconceptions. = some Caribbean people, particularly s, are unaffected by tourism. tourists: and so the both positive and negative, do not affect them. Oxher citizens may ji, Fnvareas where there are fots of TOUTIStS, but theye ‘carry out their jobs and live their daily lives, ir contact with tourists is limineg aye no strong feelings either way citizens such a way that th ‘They may therefore ha about tourists on their island. urists. Some people are indifferent to the presence Alienation — other people may be opposed to touris™ duie to the effects that they feel excessive tourist? has on Caribbean society. These people may alienate (remove) themselves from tourist areas and tourists 3 far as possible. As well as removing themselves {ro the negative impacts of tourism, though, these pe may also miss out on the direct benefits that tov ‘can bring. However, they will still benefit indire from improvements to the country’s infrastt and economy as a result of tourism:THE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE CARIBBEAN amenities as a result of tourism, mar People are very rticul, i ther cultures on in particular enjoy experi lencing 0 and attractions that out of their way to meet and bettiend wayne tourists accessing the bars, restaurants Exploitation —some people see tourist to exploit. They may overch: ae oO large tourists in s| services that they don’t really w. money from them. ant in order to make | to act out role zen displays one of ined above towards a tourist react in each Tourism and artistic expression Formany locals, tourism enables them to make money from their art. This is truc of many citizens who run Graft shops, market stalls and art galleries selling Caribbean arts and crafts, as well as performers who are paid to entertain tourists through m drama. nusic, dance or Jocal arts and crafts through yurism can revitalise e constant ‘and for traditionally-made items. Th ind for these products as gifts or souventiS means traditional Caribbean culture is kept alive and ftional art and craft techniques can contnuc issed down through generations artists and mploy local ide entertainment al tourism also {sporting and resorts also run workshops oF PTV" fiernational and region. ‘of the music, Jiterary Caribbean and 2719 Many tourists like to watch local artisans at work. However, some crities of tourism feel that local culture can become commercialised through mass tourism. Products may be made cheaply and traditional methods may be abandoned in favour of mass producing items quickly to meet demand. People are also concerned that local artists and crafts people will produce items that they know will sell, rather than the kind of items they really want to make or that really reflect, Caribbean culture. Added to this, there is concern that younger people will not want to take on traditional farts and crafts as a result of experiencing other more brought into the region by tourists Western culturesetal Ou Cmite ts Ta econ Government policies Teron The government has the difficult job of promoting and Re: developing tourism as a means of economic stability, and development in their country whilst, at the same time, protecting the country and its citizens from excessive negative influences of tourism. Governments have put a number of measures and policies in place, whilst building infrastructure and capacity in their DEE RO nC) countries, to achieve this balance, Immigration regulations ~ impose time + Regulates the number of people limits on how long people can stay in the Caribbean and require visas from some visitors Beach control - ensures Beaches are open to the public and protects public access to beaches. Patrols protect coastline. Legislation against hawking Gelling to tourists withouta license) Hotel access some |hotels open their facilites to local customers as well as tourists, Local people may pay touse settling in the Caribbean "© Ensures that the region does not get overcrowded or resources too strained Regulations may deter some visitors from visiting or settling in the Caribbean + Ensures that everyone een enjoy the | Legislation is not abways carried Caribbean coastline | + Protects the coastline for future generations ‘© Means that citizens as well as tourists benefit from hotel and resort facilities the restaurants, spas, swimming pools | * Reduces resentment of local people and bars, Land acquisition — limits the amount of land that can be bought by non- nationals faycations ~ to holiday in their towards tourists - * Ensures that enough land is left for the needs of locals as well as for agriculture ‘* Checks ensure that foreigners who buy land can support themselves and will not be a burden on the state * Locals may be able to sell their land for large amounts of money. | + Keeps more money in the country * Deepens people’ appreciation and love for their own country. * Boosts employment due to set round tourism |» Locals benefit from cheap | special offers athotels through into practice * Some tourists want their own private beaches © Some hotels andibars still restrict access to locals, causing resentment The price of hotel facilities may put them out of reach of some locals, "| =1l6eal people may resent land in their country being bought up by foreigners * Foreign buyers who have more capital may buy the best, coastal plots * Local people may be displaced a: be Priced out of the market by foreign | purchase of land |SIntteslifyy many people want to 2 “0 other countries for their ho ++ Can increase insularitycos IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE CARIBBEAN Debate one of ti sPdenate he areas of govern, © policy in the table on pa nie suggest ways that the ai reduced and the benef sas: 280 ane Wirke an article fora travel magazine or Hawbacks could be intemet site encouraging people to holiday at creased, home. Include the advantages of this as well as ideas for things to do and places to go, and. hotel offers for locals, i Discuss in small groups wi whethe ever taken a holiday in your owm ou have “and how this compares to traveling ravelling ad. Ifyou haven't take e "Na holiday P a yin olici country, what would convince you to eaecigs te combat the negative SI ism so? As well as introducing and imposing legislation 10 ensure that tourism benefits the socio-economic environment, the government also needs to take action to improve the lives of locals and minimise the egative elfects of tourism, One way it can do this isto, counter the effects of rising property costs in light of, foreign investment by providing affordable housing for citizens CASE STUDY Local housing for local people in Barbados National Housing Corporation (NHC) 9 iment corporation responsible for providing fordable housing for needy Barbadians. The NHC fers newly buiithomes to a high standard on arental Entto-own basis at 17 locations across Barbados Roieesirange in price from starter homes at BNIGO to middle-income family homes costing #619350,000.00. The corporation's motto is HELP- Every Last Person 1. Under which two terms of payment can tenants live in NHC houses? 2, Find out how the price ofa NHC house ‘compares toa privately sold house. How do you think a rem-to-owm basis works? 281 _ RE3. How do you think a rent-to-own basis works? 4, What kinds of people might want to purchase a starter home? 5. Look at some realestate websites for Barbados. How does the price of NHC homes compare to privately sold homes ‘on the island? HECK= =a'=] Find out whether there are any i= (]QLU_ atfordabte home developments JMMAR + Tourists want to experience the unspoilt: tranquillity of the Caribbean, yet many tourist resorts damage this natural beauty. * Tourism can negatively impact aesthetics ‘of the local environment as well as damaging ecology, reefs and tidal patterns. + Tourism can also contribute to conservation through heritage tourism. (Tourists paying to visit conservation and historical sites contribute to their upkeep.) + Tourism can have both positive and negative effects on the sociocultural environment. + Tourists and citizens influence each other, * Governments have developed policies and legislation to protect their countries from some of the negative impacts of tourism. o Birney would encourage m these