TOPIC: TOURISM and PUBLIC BEACHES

3.3. Tourism and Public Beaches

Tourism is by far the fastest growing industry in the Caribbean islands, characterized by at least three esses: sun, sea and sand. Some of the island nations, e.g. the British Virgin Islands, the Netherlands Antilles, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, are much more dependent on tourism than, for example, Trinidad. Problems arise if the natural population density of a particular island is already considerable, and if access to beaches is impeded by development.

One of the 'postal patrons', serendipitously reached in our survey, had commissioned an early study on these problems in Barbados (over 600 people/square kilometer), entitled: "Windows on the Sea" (Hatch, 1978). Hatch proposed that the Government acquisition coastal land. He also stated that "people who have bought a picture window on the sea do not like someone standing in front of that window." If non-nationals own the window, it may, however, lead to a growi ng feeling of alienation.

Barbados should consider multiple use of quality coastal space in order to reduce user conflict (perhaps not letting it go to the "dollar with the highest value"). Lewsey (1993) recommends that land owners and developers affected by establishment of buffer zones as controlling devices to regulate coastal development might be allowed to transfer their development options to some inland sub-zone capable of accommodati ng the required type of development activity and to reserve the evacuated site for more appropriate environmental usage.

[JAMQ7] 1992 Surveys: Governments
[T&TQ7] should control the use of coastal land

In Trinidad, public controversy ensued when Maracas Beach was scheduled for takeover by a private corporation (Imbert, in Cambers, 1991). In turn the Government objected when Sun Island Cruises announced its intent to convert Pier 1, its US $2 million resort at Chagaramas Bay, to an exclusive "members only" Club. (Daily Express, Trinidad, June 9, 1995).

Two respondents rated "tourism" high under the heading "other coastal problems." By contrast, in our 1992 interviews of 138 local beach visitors on the islands of Trinidad, Tobago and Jamaica, more than 93% agreed (> 60% strongly) that "more tourists should be encouraged to visit our beaches."

[JAMQ16] 1992 Survey: 'Are tourists destroying Jamaica's coral reefs?'

During the last decade, the number of passengers visiting the Caribbean islands on cruiseships, mainly operating out of Florida, has increased dramatically. For example, annual cruiseships dockings increased from 700 in 1983 to 3,000 in 1991 (USVI Tourist Bureau, 1992).

Other relevant statistics
[USVITOUR]: Cruiseship Visits, USVI
[USVITOU2] : Visitor Expenditures, USVI

The number of charter boats in 1993 amounted to almost 50 for the Bahamas, rising to near 100 each for St. Lucia and Guadeloupe, between 100 and 200 each on St. Thomas, St. Martin and Martinique and culminating to over 300 on Tortola, BVI (Cato, 1994).

[CARBOAT]: number of charter boats on the Caribbeanislands, 1960 vs 1993

Similarly, the number of marinas operating in the Caribbean has grown and many people in Florida are anxiously awaiting the consequences of the eventual reconciliation between the USA and Cuba at which time Caribbean tourism, including visits of cruise sh ips and charter boats is anticipated to increase drastically (also see Cato, 1995).

The phenomenal growth in the number of SCUBA divers and in the number of people who maintain tropical salt water aquaria could lead to serious consequences for Caribbean reefs. Fortunately, the World's major diving organization, PADI [CARPADI] is extending its activities in the Caribbean and has established excellent guidelines for its ever growing number of members, including the strong recommendation not to touch or collect coral.
*SCUBA Info

ECOTOURISM is increasing in popularity and in addition to the extended scope of operations for both SCUBA and snorkel divers provided in such Underwater Parks as those off Bonaire and Guadeloupe and Martinique, ATLANTIS submarines operates several submari nes which can hold upto 70 passengers each to visit several spectacular underwater sites off Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, the Cayman islands and the Turks and Caicos islands.

Proper ICAM measures to anticipate the environmental impacts of the above-referred increases in tourist activity include protection of reefs and seagrass meadows by installing of mooring buoys and by passing and enforcing of regulations against anchoring and overboard disposal of sewage and solid waste. In this context, is is good news that The World Bank/GEF is now funding the installation of receiving facilities for shipboard wastes (World Bank, 1995).


Additional and updated information on TOURISM