Can a Working Relationship
between the Tourism Industry
and the Environmental Sector Exist?
How has the collaboration
between Tourism and the Environmental sector
benefited the Caribbean?
by
Marsha-Marie Samuels
Afro-Caribbean Politics 2
Introduction
Tourism within the Caribbean accounts for about 25% of exported goods and
services that contributes 31% of the Gross Domestic Product. The industry employs over
500,000 people that is one in every four jobs in the Caribbean. The success of the
industry is essential to the islands communities and infrastructure.
One of the most important elements in any task is awareness.
Awareness of resources and how to sustain them is one of the keys to success in any
venture. When tourism and environmental industries promote awareness among workers and the
local communities it dulls ignorance and pools resources together to solve dilemmas.
An abundance of money is applied to tourist attractions and
advertising of an islands best features. These are manly viewed as (nature) the ocean, the
beaches, forests, animals and plant life. If these natural elements are no longer
surviving and thriving due to pollution or changes in environmental conditions they are no
longer attractions. This affects income locally and on a national level.
The issue of health is also one of the most important factors of
this idea. Much of what affects the tourism industry affects the island. Projects designed
to improve health conditions of tourists and staff usually also effects the local
population. It would lead to more specialized studies across the board. Less liability on
business is continuous economic growth, improves living and agricultural conditions.
Our existence as human beings is dependent upon the
condition of the environment. It is our primary
source of essential natural resources. The future of the Caribbean depends heavily on
these resources for economic and social development. The collaboration of the tourism
industry and the environmental sector is a necessity not an option.
Economics
Though many corporations and wealthy families own vast amount of land and reap
the majority of the benefits through tourism it is the masses that are mostly affected.
Caribbean islands exports vary from bauxite, oil, bananas and tourism, which are one of
the major exports due to the billions of dollars, it adds to the economy. But we must not
forget that everyone should be profiting from the booming business. The governments of the
islands cannot continue to be blinded by the money and lose sight of the larger picture.
Our culture and the next generation’s future cannot be sold, its priceless. There
will be consequences for their actions or lack of. Everyone must be profiting from the
success of the tourism industry from the local bar to the flea market women selling
souvenirs. Foreign companies should not be reaping all the benefits of the land of which
we are living and surviving on. I believe this is one of the reasons why changes are being
made even though is it at a sluggish pace.
Many local environmentalists know it is not too late and awareness
is the key to the changes that are taking place. The Caribbean Alliance For Sustainable
Tourism is an organization though a subsidiary of the Caribbean Hotel Association is
bridging the gap between business and environment through education. Hotels that are
members of the organization must be certified and follow a Green Health Checklist.
The checklist addresses the issues of solid waste management, energy
conservation, effluents and emissions, contractors and suppliers and business issues. This
leads to educating the owner, staff (native people) and tourists (the consumer) of the
importance of sustaining a viable environment. The core of these issues deals with
recycling, energy services being conserved when not occupied, checking water systems for
leaks or surges of consumption, sewage disposals, and awareness of environmental problems
affecting the local industry. This is beneficial to both local and tourist industries and
the residents of the community.
Another vehicle in promoting awareness is through international
conferences. There are over142 member hotels region wide. The Caribbean Tourism
Organization is hosting its fourth conference on sustainable tourism development that is
designed to heighten awareness through an exchange of information on the pros and cons of
proposals on a regional and international level. They try to distinguish the major issues
of the host country and use it as a case study enabling the conference to assist in
providing effective solutions to the problems especially those of a health and
environmental nature. Even if it means reducing tourism plans.
This type of information exchange will hopefully lead to a
productive working relationship among the government, tourism, and local communities. The
theme of this year’s conference is "Unlocking the Potential". How befitting
a title is that! Caribbean nationals must realize and explore the potentials within the
region and on their own local levels.
Only then will we be able to control our own homeland’s futures
and economy. Another goal of the event is to fortify efforts between the tourism and
economic sectors on a local level to create a successful venture.
The economics of the tourism industry is what is driving the abuse
of the countries. Many influential and wealthy entrepreneurs are greedy and are
capitalizing on all fronts of the industry. Just five years ago $11.8 billion dollars of
foreign trade from visitors was made region wide. Income is being made in many ways. There
are your cruise ships, which many are not registered in the Caribbean other than the
Bahamas. You have an influx of stay over land tourist in inclusive hotels and villas. You
also have many people coming to the Caribbean to just to get married and honeymooning.
Then there are the visitors who are being drawn to the islands through the various annual
events from Jazz festivals to golf tournaments and new environment safe hotels and rain
forests. Scuba diving alone might command an estimated $1.2 billion within five years. Let
us not forget that our music is being exported as well.
The beaches, clear waters and sunny skies are viewed as a given.
These so called givens and new events are being marketed heavily around the world
especially in the US, Europe and Japan. Both Air Jamaica and BWIA have made increased
their advertising and their routes.
Flora and Fauna
Another industry that benefits from the natural resources not only from the tourism
sector, but the Caribbean population living abroad. If tourist attractions and these types
of events were not profitable new ones would not be emerging every year.
If nature is not allowed to thrive and grow how can we welcome
businesses or vacationing travelers who are important contributors to the regions economy
and what of the basic existence of our native people. Then we would be left to salvage
what we can to survive on.
Local governments are more aware of the needs of the environment
from the forests to the animal and plant life that was being threatened some with
extinction. The reefs in the Caribbean do not recover quickly when damaged. The local
ecosystems are very fragile and are home to indigenous animals especially turtles, birds
and iguanas.
There are six species of endangered sea turtles and over 525
species and subspecies of birds in the region. Many of these birds are endangered species.
There are over 60,000 birds living at the Bahamas National Trust.
The governments with the assistance of concerned individuals have
established more marine parks, protected areas and havens for marine life. In Jamaica
damages to the reefs are mainly due to pollution from sedimentation, dynamite and anchors
causing coral damage and excessive fishing. Some of the coastal habitats are being damaged
in similar ways in addition to the exclusion of the public by private development,
draining for development and the cutting of mangroves.
The United Nations as an Environment Program that is a catalog of
publications with preventive measures, reports and guidelines of management targeted to
the tourism industry. The surplus of information is beneficial to both industries. This
also assists the governments and industry associations with identifying better voluntary
codes, promote more awareness, and increase the involvement of other services in support
of environmentally safe practices within the industry.
These links will inevitably contribute to the sustainable
development the region is seeking. When problems are identified both industries can create
the necessary environmental management together instead of as separate entities. Not only
will the environment begin to improve, and the islands would not be losing any income due
to decline in the tourism arena.
If the tourism sector has made enormous amounts of money and some
owners have even created a monopoly on some islands but is one of the more viable ways
that the Caribbean is surviving on. Tourism is not the only business the region’s
economy is benefiting from but it is one of the most important at the present state. One
must work with the resources that they have. And yes the governments are getting kickbacks
and some politicians are being paid under the table but it can be changed if more people
take action. One way of taking action is through education.
The industry can be revolutionized to be more beneficial to the
countries. It is necessary to acquire the knowledge of the regions valuable resources and
how best to utilize them to becoming self-sufficient. It is imperative for the survival of
future generations.
Health
The health issue is another important factor of this collaboration and is also a major
global issue especially in underdeveloped countries. Whatever is affecting the nationals
of the country will affect the tourist and vice versa.
The Caribbean Health Hotel Program is intended to progress the
health and hygiene conditions of tourist and hotel staff. Though this designed to improve
profitability and decrease liability for the industry it also helping the public. The
program maintains a holistic method in conducting its Environmental Health, Safety &
Resource Conservation Project. It addresses the increase in visitors importing diseases,
the need for preventable measures and counteracting the more common health and disease
scenarios than previously anticipated. The tourism industry requires an excellence
standard to ensure continued visitors and increase in business. These types of Health
projects can locate and observe the present and new health conditions that emerge within
the countries. This leads to other specialized projects that concentrate on the affects to
the non-tourist population and even the relation between the host country and specific
foreign countries the tourists are traveling from. Both health and environmental standards
are improved as well as the hotel costs of insurance and lost income due to a decrease in
travel to the islands.
Health organizations throughout the region inform one another with
data gathered in their own countries. The Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) conducts a
surveillance report as a branch of their observation and preventative mandate. The
communicable disease feedback findings illustrate that there was an increase in Acute
Respiratory Infections and Influenza notifications. The ARIs were found in children five
years old and less. The increase occurred in the fourth quarter period from 3,746 in 1998
to 4,402 in 1999.
Grenada and St.Vincent and the Grenadines seemed to be most affected
of the islands. There were 16,864 cases of Influenza during the fourth quarter with an
increase by 9% of reported cases. Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines again were
found to have higher cases than the other islands. The Centre found that the increases
occurred between epidemiological weeks 38 to 44. Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Cayman
Islands were also higher during this quarter. This could be attributed to the influx of
tourists entering from Europe and North America where there was an epidemic of influenza.
Though Dengue Fever and Malaria are endemic in certain countries
there have been findings of increase activity in Suriname, Barbados, Belize and Guyana.
Countries are prompted to increase observation of the diseases especially among visitors
from endemic countries. This also means warning travelers and the public of the need for
prevention. The countries must also maintain sufficient hospitals and centers for early
detection.
Awareness and education are instrumental in improving environmental
conditions and a thriving tourism industry. Both arenas must work coherently for the
Caribbean to flourish. More tourism profits must be supplemented into the local
communities.
Sources:
Caribbean Alliance For Sustainable Tourism, Caribbean Environmental
Health, Safety & Resource Conservation Project, Natural Resources Conservation
Authority, Caribbean Health Hotel Program, Centre for Environmentally Responsible Tourism,
Caribbean Tourism Organization, United Nations Environment Program and the Caribbean
Epidemiology Centre.
