Tourism

Tourism is the commercial organisation and operation of travelling while a tourist is a person that visits a place for pleasure or has other interests.

Types of Tourism

There are many types of tourism some of which include :

1. Sea, Sand and Sun - Tropical places like the Caribbean are well known for this type of tourism as tourists come for the beaches and the warm weather.
2. Eco-Tourism - This type of tourism involves the sustainable use of the natural environment, for example, hiking to a waterfall.
3. Sports Tourism - This is where persons visit a place for a particular sporting event, for example, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
4. Medical Tourism - This type of tourism involves travelling for medical treatment typically going somewhere where the cost is cheaper.
5. Cultural/Historical - This is where persons visit areas of cultural or historical significance for example, forts, museums, old cities, parks and plantations.

Reasons Why Tourists Visit The Caribbean

• Location - The location near the equator provides warm weather year round. Also, its proximity to North America makes it easy to travel to.
• Nature - There are many forests, waterfalls, volcanoes and beaches throughout the Caribbean that tourists come to explore.
• Stability - There are stable governments and no ongoing war. Also, crime against tourists is generally low throughout the region.
• Culture - The region has many cultural festivals that lure tourists such as carnival, rum festivals, crop over, jazz festivals and more.
• Infrastructure - There are international airports throughout the region and sufficient roads to branded resorts and hotels.
• Sport - There are many golf courses throughout the region and areas for other sports such as swimming, diving, surfing and other mainstream sports.

Benefits Associated With Tourism In The Caribbean

• Providing employment opportunities to locals such as tour guides, hotel staff and taxi drivers.
• Creating linkage industries when agricultural produce grown locally is used by restaurants in hotels.
• Earning foreign currency when tourists visit and make purchases.
• Earning government revenue through taxes.

Problems Associated With Tourism In The Caribbean

• Habitat destruction often occurs when land is used to build hotels, theme parks and other tourism infrastructure.
• In some countries beaches are privately owned by resorts and block out access to locals and prevent fishermen from earning income through fishing.
• Environmental degradation occurs as there is an increase in waste particular into the sea damaging coral reefs.
• Land prices often go up when coastal land is bought out for resort construction by international brands.