Tourism in the Caribbean

The Caribbean is a region of the Americas that consist of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts.

It is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland, east of Central America and north of South America.

It has an area of 2,754 million km² and a population of 43,989,990 million (0.56% of the total world population)

The Caribbean is divided into the:

a) Greater Antilles:

Cayman Islands, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

b) Lesser Antilles: -

Leeward Islands: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Saint Martin, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis and US Virgin Islands

Leeward Antilles: Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire

Windward Islands: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada with Sister Island Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

Tourism in the Caribbean

Tourism refers to the activities that people engage in travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for leisure, business, or other purposes for not more than one consecutive year.

Tourism is the dominant tertiary economic activity in the Caribbean.

The primary elements for tourism development in the Caribbean are sun, sea, and sand, often referred to as the “three S’s” concept.

Why visit the Caribbean?

. Our Geographical location-

The Caribbean region is located in the tropics lying between latitudes 9⁰ and 22⁰ and longitudes 89⁰ and 60⁰, near to the equator. Due to its close proximity of the equator, the Caribbean has an all-year-round tropical weather.

Many tourists (mainly from the U.S.A, Canada and Europe) come to escape the cold during the northern hemisphere winter and to experience the Caribbean's high temperatures.

Additionally, the Caribbean region is situated closer to North America and Europe than most other tropical locations so this therefore makes the Caribbean the easiest tropical vacation destination.

. Our Natural Features-

The Caribbean attracts many visitors because the region is filled with many stunning natural features such as the diverse landscape and stunning scenery, an abundance of unique flora and fauna, the exploration of the underwater world of the surrounding waters and the eco-friendly accommodations.

Natural features of the Caribbean range from the iconic panoramas of white sand beaches, aquamarine oceans and stunning coral reefs to the lush, prolific interiors, decorated with rainforests, waterfalls, swamps and volcanic mountains.

Grace Bay
(A 12-mile strip of brilliant, fluffy sand at the edge of a bay protected by reef)
Turks and Caicos

Buccoo Reef
(Protected marine park located a short distance off Buccoo Beach, Pigeon Point and Store Bay)
Trinidad and Tobago

El Yunque National Forest
(Spanning nearly 29,000 acres with outdoor activities and adventures, from hiking and camping to bird watching, zipline courses, scenic drives, and historical tours)
Puerto Rico

The Pitons
(Located near the towns of Soufrière, Saint Lucia, Soufrière and Choiseul Quarter Choiseul on the southwestern coast of the island)
St. Lucia

Harrison’s Cave
(One mile-long cave system with a geological system that grows year after year. Attracts thousands of people from all over the world every year.)
Barbados

. Our Culture-

The Caribbean has a very unique and diverse culture.
The Caribbean is a mesmerizing melting pot of cultures with influences rooted in its rich heritage, molded by European colonizers, the native community who lived here before colonization and the waves of immigration.
The diversity of the different languages, music, dance, cuisine and customs creates an opportunity for many tourists to experience the Caribbean region's unique identity.
Carnival in Trinidad
(Referred to as the "Greatest Show on Earth." Well known for participants' colourful costumes and exuberant celebrations. It is every masquerader's desire to cross the Queen's Park Savannah stage)

Cayman Island's Food and Wine Festival
(More than 5,000 locals and visitors. Over 45 restaurants set up their stalls along the bay, each to win the festival. Find everything from luxury ice-creams and expertly mixed cocktails to traditional rustic dishes and upmarket, gourmet meals.)

Cou-cou and flying fish, Barbados
(Honored as the national dish of Barbados)

Doubles, Trinidad and Tobago
(Well-sort after Trinbagonian street food)

Ackee and Saltfish, Jamaica

(Jamaican national dish prepared with ackee and salted codfish)

Calypso music, Trinidad and Tobago
(Renowned Calypsonian, Calypso Rose)

Reggae music, Jamaica
(Influenced by Bob Marley)

. Our Man-made features-

Man-made features are created by humans and do not occur naturally and enhance the beauty of the Caribbean islands.

Underwater Sculpture Park
(Sculptures of this underwater gallery very much reflect Grenada’s culture)
Greneda

Castillo San Felipe del Morro, San Juan, Puerto Rico
(Puerto Rico's leading tourist attraction with over 2 million visitors per year)

The Hermitage, Bahamas
(Located on the peak of Mount Alvernia, the highest point in the Bahamas at 63 metres)

St. Nicholas Abbey, Barbados
(Located in the parish of St. Peter in Barbados and is one of only three genuine Jacobean mansions in the Western hemisphere)

Brimestone Hill Fortress, St. Kitts and Nevis
(A UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the best-preserved historical fortifications in the Americas)

Benefits of tourism in the Caribbean

. Employment

Increased tourism leads to increased employment of locals throughout the Caribbean. Many people are employed in many different jobs requiring varying levels of qualification and skill from resorts and hotels to restaurants, clubs, bars, diving schools and other adventure activities. Some jobs require unskilled or semi-skilled labour and others require high level of skills or qualifications. Employment even includes people who work as tour operators, taxi drivers and fishermen and farmers to provide food for cafes, restaurants and hotels. For instance, Jamaica hires thousands of people who work directly or indirectly in the tourism industry.

. Foreign Exchange

Tourism is the most important source of foreign exchange for many Caribbean countries. Tourists spend US dollars, pounds or euros. Caribbean countries can use foreign exchange to purchase goods and services from overseas.

. Cultural exchange

Tourists and locals interact with each other and share aspects of their cultures.

Cultural exchanges can strengthen by tourism flows between the various countries and cultural activities to help promote friendship and mutual understanding. Tourists can become educated about their Caribbean destination so when they return to their home countries, they are able to impart their knowledge and experience to friends and family and encourage others to visit.

Challenges of tourism in the Caribbean

. Pollution

Environments become polluted when solid waste and sewage are disposed of carelessly by cruise ships and hotels who take advantage of the inadequate laws of Caribbean islands to protect the environment.

. Destruction of habitat

Coastal forests, wetlands or mangroves are often damaged or destroyed to construct hotels. Wildlife is endangered since they depend on these areas for survival.

. Damage to the environment as a result of tourist activity

Tourists may sometimes damage the Caribbean's natural environment when partaking in various activities. When tourists walk on the coral reefs, bits of coral may break off. The degradation of coral reefs has a large impact on the environment of the Caribbean.

Tourism in Nassau

Nassau has tourism on a large scale with more tourists visiting the Bahamas than any other CARICOM country.

Why visit Nassau-

. Daily airlinks to many U.S cities

. Large hotels and tourist facilities

. Sun, sand and sea- clear waters offshore and white sand beaches

. Sunny climate with rainfall around 1250 mm per year

. Close to the U.S- only 300 km from Florida

Bahamas Swimming Pigs at Pig Beach (Big Major Cay) in the Exuma Cays archipelago

Challenges because of tourism in the Bahamas

1. Hotels import almost all their food, furnishings and construction materials so agriculture and manufacturing are not well developed.

2. Some tourists do not spend time and money outside their hotels as large resorts offer a wide range of facilities.

3. The best beaches are difficult for Bahamians to access.

Tourism in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is not a typical Caribbean destination. However, it has more tourists that St. Lucia and Grenada.

Why visit Trinidad and Tobago-

Tourists come for:

1. Beach vacations- European tourists visit Tobago as a centre for beach vacations.

2. Nature- There is varied wildlife with South American animals such as the ocelot and armadillo and a variety of birds and butterflies.

3. Tourists visit the Asa Wright Nature Centre in the Northern Range of Trinidad.

4. Culture- "The Greatest Show on Earth," the annual Carnival, centered in Port-of-Spain attracts many tourists from all over the world.

5. Visitors travel for work- conferences, meetings and professional visits, most of which are in Port-of-Spain, the capital city.

6. Family and friend visits- this consists of the largest group of visitors who stay in all parts of the country with family and some may stay in hotels.