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| Features |
The Business of Tourism Moral dilemma of visiting Haiti David Jessop, Contributor It is not often that the debate that arises from time to time about the rights and wrongs of tourism is so graphically illustrated. But that is just what has happened when Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines decided to continue calls by its cruise ships to its private port of Labadee, a beach resort a little over 100 miles from the epicentre of the earthquake that had devastated Port-au-Prince and cities in the south of Haiti. financial support On January 15, Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas was the first cruise ship to return. Others owned by the company followed in the succeeding days. In addition to carrying passengers, many of whom disembarked for the beach, the vessels brought relief supplies in the form of food and water to be taken by road to the capital. The company made clear that, in addition to the significant financial support that they and other cruise lines had given to the relief effort in Haiti, all of their net revenues from day trips to Labadee were being donated to Haitian relief efforts. Speaking to journalists in response to online criticism of his company's decision to continue sending cruises, the Chief Executive of Royal Caribbean Adam Goldstein said its actions supported the Haitian economy at a time of need, through keeping employed the staff at the resort and local traders. His stance was supported by the Haitian government and comments from local people. Despite this, the idea of tourists eating and drinking on a beach not too far distant from where the apocalyptic scenes of death, destruction and hunger were being beamed around the world, threw into stark contrast tourism's ability to coexist with poverty and, by extension, the often difficult nature of daily life in the region. Much of the criticism that was been levelled against Royal Caribbean has not really been about Haiti; rather it has been about much broader concerns and perhaps a suppressed sense of guilt that some visitors, political activists and others have about the consumption associated with tourism. Put another way, vacationing in Haiti at a time of crisis magnified the unease that comes when a local population that is significantly less well off than those who are visiting are placed side by side or, as it were, are hidden from the visitor. economic development At best, tourism results in employment, economic development and a more balanced world view on the part of both guests and hosts; at worst it can, in the host nation, generate anger or jealousy and environmental, moral and cultural degradation. Tourism professionals and governments in the Caribbean know this and are working to manage a sustainable future for the industry, through education and training that enables tourism's benefits to be more widely spread. However, there is also a case for addressing the moral dilemma behind the criticism of Royal Caribbean. That is to say, by encouraging greater public understanding and external debate of the role of tourism in Caribbean development. hospitalityjamaica @gleanerjm.com |
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