Ecotourism in a Small Caribbean Island: Lessons Learned for Economic Development and Nature Preservation
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ECOTOURISM IN A SMALL CARBBEAN ISLAND: LESSONS LEARNED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NATURE PRESERVATION l By VANESSA ANNE VERE SLINGER A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2002 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Program for Studies in Tropical Conservation Fellowship (PSTC) supported this research through the Compton Foundation, and a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences McLaughlin Dissertation Fellowship. Government agencies in Dominica helped throughout the period of research including NDC, the Dominican Ministry of Tourism, and the Dominican Ministry of Forestry. The DCA, and the DHTA were very helpful in providing data and suggestions. Numerous individuals aided and supported my research efforts in Dominica: the Aird family, Maria Bellot, the Grell family, Lenox Honychurch, Ma Bass, and Charles Maynard. I am particularly indebted to all the people involved in the tourism industry, both in private businesses and local conservation agencies, who took time to sit with me and answer questions or converse about tourism on the majestic and beautiful Caribbean island of Dominica. On a personal note, I am truly blessed to be surrounded by the love and encouragement of lots of friends and family too numerous to mention here. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my committee members for their guidance and support: my chair. Dr. Nigel Smith, Dr. Cesar Caviedes, Dr. Barbara McDade, Dr. Hugh Popenoe, and Dr. Peter Hildebrand. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Edward Malecki for his support and advice in several aspects of my academic career. TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF FIGURES vi ABSTRACT ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, AND SIGNIFICANCE 1 Ecotourism: Sustainable Development Lessons from Other Parts of the World 6 A Rational for the Study of Ecotourism in Dominica 9 Research Assumptions 12 Data Sources and Methodology 12 Ecotourism as a Strategy for Diversification, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation 16 2 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN AND DOMINICA AS A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 19 Growth and Effects of International Tourism in the Caribbean 19 Imagining Dominica: The Impact of a Geographical and Historical Legacy on Tourism Development 28 Geographical Background 28 Historical Legacy: Colonization and Creolization 33 History of Tourism Development in Dominica 35 Eco-assets: Dominica's Potential as an Ecotourism Destination 39 Overall Picture of Tourism in Dominica 44 3 GOVERNMENT PLANNING AND POLICIES FOR ECOTOURISM IN DOMINICA 52 Introduction 52 Dominica's Official Tourism Policy 53 Shankland Cox Tourism Report 53 The 1975 National Parks and Protected Areas Act 54 The 1975 Kastarlak Report 55 ii The 1976 National Structure Plan 56 The 1982 Recommendations for Tourism Policies 57 The 1985 National Structure Plan 58 The 1987 Tourism PoHcy Report 60 The 1987 Giersch Report 61 National Development Corporation Act of 1988 61 Ecotourism in the 1990s 62 Developing an Ecotourism Strategy: Conference on Sustainable Tourism 1997 64 Report (1998) Prepared for the Ministry of Tourism, Ports, and Employment 66 Pohcies and Programs of 1999 66 4 POLICY TRANSLATED INTO ACTION: THE REALITY 70 Introduction 70 Stayover Visitor Profile and Experiences 70 Spatial Pattern and Ownership of Tourism Facilities 74 Ecotourism Training, Infrastructure, Projects, and Promotion 80 Ecotourism Sites and Infrastructure 81 Seasonality 83 Symbiotic Livelihoods: Employment and Linkages 85 Limitations in the Development of Linkages and Promotion of Local Labor on the Demand Side 88 Limitations in Involvement in the Tourism Industry by the Dominican Population 89 Benefits to Self and the Nation 91 Ecotourism, and Environmental and Cultural Conservation 92 5 CASE STUDIES: PRIVATE, NGO, AND COMMUNITY ECOTOURISM EFFORTS 95 Community ecotourism 97 North North East Tourism Environmental Development Committee (NNETEDC) 97 Carib Territory 98 Syndicate Nature Trail, Milton Waterfall, Mome Diablotin Hike 107 Village of CaHbishie 109 Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley 109 Indian River 110 South : Scotts Head Area HI Community Tourism and Government Intervention 114 Closer Look at Some Other Issues Surrounding Government Actions in Dominican Ecotourism 115 6 ANALYSIS OF ECOTOURISM RESEARCH FINDINGS IN DOMINICA 121 The Impact of Stayover Tourist Demand 121 Regional Development Through the Distribution and Ownership of Tourism iii Facilities and Infrastructure 122 Tourism's Stimulation of Employment in Dominica 124 Tourist Arrival Pattern and Its Impact 126 Analysis of Limitations to Involvement of Locals in the Dominican Tourism Industry 127 Perceptions of Ecotourism: Benefits, and Environmental and Cultural Conservation 129 7 THE IMPACT AND POTENTIAL OF ECOTOURISM IN DOMINICA 132 Introduction 132 Research Assumptions Addressed 132 Dominica: A Small Scale Model for Ecotourism 139 Conclusions and Suggestions 142 APPENDIX ACCOMMODATION UNITS IN DOMINICA IN 2000 147 LIST OF REFERENCES 149 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 159 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4-1 Average income for stayover visitors 71 4-2 Stayover visitors' habits and attitudes 74 4-3 Stayover visitor satisfaction with local cuisine 75 4-4 Desirability of proposed accommodation facility development 75 4-5 Regional distribution of Dominican tourism accommodation units 77 4-6 Data on ownership and scale of accommodation facilities in Dominica 77 4-7 Data on local ownership of accommodation units in Dominica according to size 77 4-8 Ownership of craft and dive establishments on Dominica 80 4-9 Seasonahty and the experiences of the Dominican tourism industry 85 4-10 Local versus foreign employment in the Dominican tourism industry 85 4-11 Use of locally made products in the Dominican tourism industry 88 4-12 Attitudes of hotel, restaurant, craft sellers, tour operators and dive shops 89 4-13 Responses of hotel, restaurant, dive operators, and craft sellers on problems 89 4-14 Responses of hotel, restaurant, craft shops, dive operators, and tour companies 89 4-15 Limitations to involvement in the Dominica tourism industry 91 4-16 Personal benefits experienced since being involved in tourism 92 4-17 Perceived benefits to Dominica from ecotourism on the island 92 4-18 Attitudes of people in tourism toward conservation of the local environment 84 V 1 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Psge 2- 1 Map of Dominica in the Windward Islands, Eastern Caribbean 29 2-2 Map of Dominica 30 2-3 Steep coast lines and volcanic black sand beaches in Dominica 31 2-4 A trip to the Boiling Lake, the world's second largest boiling fumarole 3 2-5 Dominica Banana Exports 1993-2001 36 2-6 Ecotourism in Dominica promises to provide locals with employment 36 2-7 Ecotourism features in Dominica 41 2-8 The mangrove-fringed waters of the Indian River 42 2-9 Ecotourists enjoy the popular ecotourism activity of bathing 43 2-10 Stayover and cruiseship visitor arrivals to Dominica 1980 tol999 45 2-11 Stayover arrivals by country of residence 1986-1997 47 2-12 Cruiseship passenger arrivals to Dominica by month 1991-1997 48 2-13 Cruiseship tourists disembarking at the Roseau Port 49 4-1 Education Levels of Stayover Visitors to Dominica 71 4-2 Primary Reason for Visiting Dominica 72 4-3 Combined Reasons for Visiting Dominica 72 4-4 Ecotourism provides employment for local tour guides 74 4-5 Map of Dominican tourism accommodations in 2000 78 4-6 Major dive and craft shop/stall facilities in Dominica 79 4-7 Tourism infrastructure and ecotourism projects 82 4-8 The sign for the Cabrits National Park 83 vi 4-9 Stayover visitor arrivals to Dominica by month 1991 - 1997 84 4-10 A flower grower supplying the Fort Young Hotel, Roseau 87 4- 11 Locally grown produce such as that found at the local market in Roseau 87 5- 1 This Carib Woman employs the use of a number of materials 100 5-2 Larouma {Ischonisiphon arouma) is usually collected 100 5-3 Carib crafts for sale both in the Territory and throughout the island 102 5-4 In the process of being built, this Carib canoe is one example 102 5-5 Ecotourism improvements in the Carib Territory 103 5-6 Cut at a steep angle, the newly built road to the future Carib Model Village site. ... 105 5-7 The Model CaribVillage, still under construction 105 5-8 The non-motorized boat of this tour guide ensured a very peaceful trip Ill vii Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy ECOTOURISM IN A SMALL CARIBBEAN ISLAND: LESSONS LEARNED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NATURE PRESERVATION -' fiy"' ' ' Vanessa Anne Vere Slinger December 2002 Chairman: Nigel Smith Major Department: Geography This study is an attempt to determine whether ecotourism, contrary to the impacts of traditional mass tourism, is having the anticipated impacts at the grassroots level on the small Caribbean island nation of Dominica. Ecotourism has become an alternative economic activity for people in many developing nations. Initially, in the quest for financial gains, the governments of these nations turned to conventional mass tourism as the generator of capital. However, the short-run need for capital has, in many cases, resulted in the long-run destruction of the cultural and physical environment of the destination country. Furthermore, the anticipated capital gains from mass tourism have not been realized as foreign involvement has led to the repatriation of revenues outside of these developing nations. This situation has left conservationists, governments, and their people searching for a more benign form of tourism, one that benefits the local people while maintaining the culture and environment. Many see ecotourism as a type of tourism that accomplishes the above-mentioned goals of financial gain, local benefits. viii and cultural and environmental maintenance.