West Indies Tourism Today

A Critique of the Business of Caribbean Tourism

A politically based style of tourism development is unlikely to meet the needs of this competitive industry.

A snapshot of news statistics from WITT Reports

The WITT Report has been collecting and archiving news reports about Caribbean tourism for nearly five years. Here is a look under the hood, at some ways that local media are delivering local tourism news.

All things are related

Improving transportation, easing of restrictions and co-promotion, as a bundle, provide a solid platform on which to develop tourism in the entire region. Related things, in this context, form the basis for marketing in a more powerful way. Revising the context opens new possibilities for people to offer new products or services.

Bartlett calls —and then calls again for the single CARICOM visa

In Edmund Bartlett's push for a single CARICOM visa, he has underlined the need to remove one of the biggest barriers to freer travel within the Caribbean. A barrier that had been broken down only once in the past, for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, held in eight CARICOM countries.

Caribbean Tourism and Climate Change

Will Caribbean destinations demonstrate leadership on mitigating the impacts tourism and climate change?

Caribbean Tourism's Thought Leaders

An overview of academics who have made, and are making, significant contributions to the discussions about Caribbean tourism. Hopefully, Caribbean political leaders will take heed and develop tourism, both within their economies but also in a regional context, to benefit their people more so than has been done in the past.
Ultimately the goal is to improve the quality of tourism delivery and to benefit all Caribbean peoples and nations, bringing sustainability and community values to 'top of mind' importance.

Caribbean transportation, integration and tourism

No discussion of Caribbean tourism can take place without contemplating connectivity, by air or by sea. In fact, no tourism is even possible without these connections, both between islands but also to the outside World.
Coupled to this is the discussion about Caribbean integration. Caribbean countries, without doubt, need to find ways to co-operate economically and politically if they are to survive, progress and develop. Caribbean nations also need to come together to be able to compete internationally.

Caught in the crossdraught: Expect turbulence

Clearly, a close inter-dependence exists between air transport and tourist flows such that traffic and visitor numbers are strongly linked. This is especially the case for island destinations, as is the situation in the eastern Caribbean, the focus of this essay.

Customer Service in Caribbean Tourism

Customer service has always been a key aspect of what Caribbean customer facing tourism companies were delivering. But the awareness to improve these skills and to expand the availability of these tools to other businesses, as well as to the public, appears not only to be improving but to be getting a serious upgrade.

From the ground up

Taking personal responsibility is key to progress in tackling global warming

As we approach the New Year for 2023 with the much vaunted 2030 now only seven years hence, I want to share some of my thoughts.

Is Caribbean Tourism Sustainable?

With looming impacts of climate change, the unavoidable carbon load of hotels and the huge proportion of large all-inclusive resorts as well as the cruise industry, this article asks the question: Is Caribbean tourism sustainable?

Its a white and green and blue and brown World

In the north-south tourism exchange, the lighter skinned get the best part of the bargain.

Mexican drug cartel violence vs tourist safety

Everyone, by now, has heard about the murderous drug cartels in Mexico and the violent havoc they are creating. Ordinary Mexicans are forced to confront this reality on a daily basis and sensational news reporting only adds to this hardship. It turns out that the 'fun' in 'sun n fun', for a large contingent of visitors, includes illicit drugs. Here's why it is important for the news media to get it right.

Official Government Travel Advisories

Are official travel advisories supplying sufficient information to be a completely reliable source?

Sea Level Rise in Tobago and the Caribbean

With the release of news about the melting zombie ice in the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) late in August 2022, the World view on sea level rise has changed dramatically. Zombie ice is real and it is melting. For individuals unable or unwilling to accept the scientific evidence, the evidence is not the failure, its just that our brains are not built to process it.

Stride de Islands by ferry

A significant opportunity exists in the eastern Caribbean to establish a 'slow travel' region to cater to a growing class of visitors motivated to discover this style of travel already well established in Europe, such as in Italy. Slow travel emphasises linkages between peoples; between visitors and residents to better understand each other. This requires eastern Caribbean nations to commit to developing ferry linkages that expand on existing ones.

Update on ferry services, 2023

Since my earlier essay (above), very little has happened with regard to ferry services but recent developments are showing signs of solid progress.

The Battle for Harvest Caye

Does the development live up to the hype of being good for the people of Belize?

The Pandemic and Caribbean Travel

The distrasous consequences of the pandemic present opportunities as well as underline the need for re-aligning tourism promotion and resources.

The Role of Media in Tourism

A key goal of this project is to find ways for local news outlets to offer better reporting of tourism news.

The seas are restless for Caribbean cruise tourism

Cruise visitors are highly coveted but do they really make a difference to destinations?

The World's Best Islands

It is the combining of a set of factors that will both attract more visitors as well as encourage them to spend their money. But whether, and to what extent, this will happen is more and more being left in the hands of marketing authorities with fewer assets and tools to work with.

Tourism marketing, Maslow and his heirarchy of needs

People want to feel special and also be part of something special. More and more, people are travelling to develop themselves —intellectually and culturally as well as spiritually. For these travellers, visiting places that re-inforce these feelings is becoming an essential part of travel.

Tourism Tobago (Companion website: tourismtobago.com)

• About Tourism Tobago: A personal perspective for curious, discerning (and concerned) visitors.
• Articles about Tobago: Deeper learning about Tobago culture, history and values ...
• Personal Op/Ed Articles: Taking lessons from the past ... to offering points for future discussion ...

Tourism Truth (Companion website: tourismtruth.com)

What is really going on in the tourism sector? Its complicated. Presenting discussion of issues about tourism and popular misconceptions about their relative 'truth'.

Travel Responsibly

Travel and responsible action are two sides of the same coin.

Where is Tourism in the Caribbean headed?

What is available for smaller destinations to break the 'cruise/all-inclusive' dependency pattern, or at least turn it to their own advantage?
Differentiate and diversify: Don't try to be the same as the main destinations, it is not possible. The 'price conscious consumer' is not the only game in town.

Where to, cruisers?

In her book, Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean, Polly Pattullo (1996) devotes an entire chapter (Ch 7 - Sailing into the Sunset: The Cruise Ship Industry) to a discussion of the impact of cruising. This discussion is still as valid and current as it was 25 years ago. Also discussed: Risks of cruising and problems Caribbean countries face in dealing with ship generated waste.

Disclaimer: These articles are my own point-of-view and are intended to open discussion. Any errors, omissions or oversights are completely my own.