The impact of tourism development on human development

Abstract

Tourism development has been promoted as an engine of economic growth in the Caribbean region. Yet, in spite of the prosperity that the expansion of mass tourism has brought to many Caribbean countries, chronic poverty persists in other Caribbean communities. This thesis examines the impact that tourism development has had on human development in the Caribbean and maintains that local and national governments' failure to plan adequately for the changes that occur in enclave tourism communities as a result of tourism development may have contributed to a decline in human development in some Caribbean countries. The paper theorizes that a development paradigm that uses tourism revenue to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged residents of enclave tourism communities may eventually reduce the inequalities in Caribbean tourism dependent countries.