Tasks

Create a fact file of tourism in the Caribbean from notes taken through the presentation

Write down the good effects for Caribbean countries

Write at least four problems that tourism has caused

Tourism is the future for Caribbean countries. Is this true?

Tourism in the Caribbean

Tourism in the Caribbean

Good effects of tourismThe Caribbean Tourism Office conservatively estimates that more than 900 thousand persons are directly or indirectly employed in the tourism industry in the Caribbean.

Visitor Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP

Anguilla - 75%Cayman Islands - 60%St. Lucia - 55%Antigua & Barbuda - 49%Aruba - 41%Barbados 36%St. Kitts & Nevis - 31%Grenada - 28%St. Vincent & G’dines 28%Jamaica - 25%

Other11%

Europe26%

Canada6%

United States50%

Caribbean7%

Where do these tourists come from?

Tourist Arrivals to the Caribbean by Major Markets 2000p

Problems of tourism in the Caribbean

•Environmental

•Social

•Economic

The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63,000 port calls from ships each year, and they generate

82,000 tons of garbage. About 77% of all ship waste comes from cruise vessels.

On average, passengers on a cruise ship each account for 3.5 kilograms of garbage daily - compared with the 0.8 kilograms each generated

by the less well-endowed folk on shore.

Problems of tourism in the Caribbean

The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism but many activities can have

adverse environmental effects.

• Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas.

• On the other hand, tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation.

Problems of tourism in the Caribbean- Environmental

POLLUTION

• Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry:

• Air emissions • Noise • Solid waste and littering • Releases of sewage• Oil and chemicals• Even architectural/visual pollution

Future Climate Change and Global Warming

The Caribbean relies heavily on its natural resources for its economy. Tourism, agriculture and fishing form the Caribbean's main sources of income, making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. These nations also suffer from a high level of poverty and low GDP, meaning any steps taken to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change will be further constrained.Climate change impacts that affect tourism in the Caribbean include:

• Beach erosion• Droughts, Floods and Landslides• Coral Bleaching• Less productive fisheries and agricultural systems• Changes to biodiversity• Damage to coastal infrastructure• Reduction in long-haul passengers due to ethical concern/regulatory taxes• Changes in preferences of tourist

Problems of tourism in the Caribbean

• The socio-cultural impacts of tourism are the effects on host communities of relations with tourists, and of interaction with the tourism industry.

• For a variety of reasons, host communities often are the weaker party in interactions with their guests and service providers, leveraging any influence they might have.

• These influences are not always apparent, as they are difficult to measure, depend on value judgments and are often indirect or hard to identify.

Problems of tourism in the Caribbean- Social

Irritation due to tourist behaviour• Tourists often, out of ignorance or

carelessness, fail to respect local customs and moral values.

• When they do, they can bring about irritation and stereotyping.

• They take a quick snapshot and are gone, and by so acting invade the local peoples' lives.

HOW TOURISM CAN BENEFIT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

Tourism can contribute to positive developments, not just negative impacts.

• It has the potential to promote social development through employment creation, income redistribution and poverty alleviation.

Other potential positive impacts of tourism include:• Tourism as a force for peace• Strengthening communities • Facilities developed for tourism can benefit

residents • Revaluation of culture and traditions • Encourages civic involvement and pride

• Diminished economic growth in many of our source market

• Reduced profitability of airlines• More countries seriously adopting

tourism as a viable development option

• Increased leisure travel options within our major markets

• Changing Consumer Patterns

What problems does future tourism face?

CONCLUSION• These are some positive consequences of tourism

that can arise only when tourism is practiced and developed in a sustainable and appropriate way. However tourism can bring environmental and social problems as well as an uncertain future.

• Involving the local population is essential. • A community involved in planning and

implementation of sustainable tourism has a more positive attitude, is more supportive and has a better chance to make a profit from tourism than a population passively ruled - or overrun - by tourism.