This book brings together a high calibre team of international researchers to provide an up-to-date assessment of the scope of tourism and the nature of tourism development in the Caribbean; past, present and future.

This book explores the distinct nuisances and obstacles that are brought on by the tourism and travel industry within Caribbean small island developing countries (SIDS). The author explores best practices and measures that can be used to overcome or alleviate the hardship faced by the industry by giving voice to the nations that are often overshadowed or restrained by their developed counterparts. This book reflects on and assesses the transformative power that tourism has in Caribbean small island developing states, while unearthing the threats that affect the longevity and economic viability of the industry in general. It is an important and overdue text focusing on this unique group of islands and will inform students and researchers on the struggles and opportunities they face.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The Caribbean has the fortune—and the misfortune̬to be everyone's idea of a tropical paradise. Its sun, sand and scenery attract millions of visitors each year and make it a profitable destination for the world's fastest growing industry. Tourism is increasingly touted as its only hope of creating jobs and wealth—literally, the island's last resort. Last Resorts examines the real impact of tourism on the people and landscape of the Caribbean. It explores the structure of ownership of the industry and shows that the benefits it brings to the region do not live up to its claims. New developments in ecotourism, sex tourism, and the burgeoning cruise industry are not changing this pattern of short-term exploitation of the region's resources. The book shows how Caribbean societies are corrupted by tourism and its culture turned into floorshow parody. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated. It gives voice to people inside the tourism industry, its critics, and tourists themselves, and offers vital insights into a phenomenon that is central to the globalized world of today.

This book explores the lessons learned from half a century of Caribbean cruise tourism; one of the most popular and profitable sectors of the tourism industry. The modern-day cruise industry dates from the 1960s when the three major cruise lines, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, set up shop in Florida and began selling winter cruises to the Caribbean targeting American retirees. For geopolitical reasons, the US initially excluded cruises to Cuba. This changed in 2016, following the historic Obama-Castro agreement to move towards diplomatic, trade and travel normalization. Cuba quickly became the Caribbean’s fastest growing cruise destination. This book considers the limited economic benefits of cruise tourism, its environmental and social impacts, and the effects of climate change, and "overtourism." Based on this analysis and case studies of key Caribbean and Mediterranean destinations, this book cautions against overdependence on cruise tourism and outlines reforms needed to bring more benefits and equity to Caribbean countries. It will be valuable to professionals, businesses, development agencies, NGOs, and academics interested in a sustainable cruise industry and the economic well-being of Caribbean island nations.

The essays in this collection explore the history of tourism and its promotion and development throughout Latin American and the Caribbean in the twentieth century.

Unpacked offers a critical, novel perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a tourist's paradise. Dreams of a tropical vacation have become a quintessential aspect of the modern Caribbean, as millions of tourists travel to the region and spend extravagantly to pursue vacation fantasies. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, travelers from North America and Europe thought of the Caribbean as diseased, dangerous, and, according to many observers, "the white man's graveyard." How then did a trip to the Caribbean become a supposedly fun and safe experience? Unpacked examines the historical roots of the region's tourism industry by following a well-traveled sea route linking the US East Coast with the island of Cuba and the Isthmus of Panama. Blake C. Scott describes how the cultural and material history of US imperialism became the heart of modern Caribbean tourism. In addition, he explores how advances in tropical medicine, perceptions of the tropical environment, and development of infrastructure and transportation networks opened a new playground for visitors.