Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean

Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean by Pattullo, Polly. paperback edition. ISBN: 9781583671177.

The Caribbean has the fortune—and the misfortune̬to be everyones idea of a tropical paradise. Its sun, sand and scenery attract millions of visitors each year and make it a profitable destination for the worlds fastest growing industry. Tourism is increasingly touted as its only hope of creating jobs and wealth—literally, the islands last resort. Last Resorts examines the real impact of tourism on the people and landscape of the Caribbean. It explores the structure of ownership of the industry and shows that the benefits it brings to the region do not live up to its claims. New developments in ecotourism, sex tourism, and the burgeoning cruise industry are not changing this pattern of short-term exploitation of the regions resources. The book shows how Caribbean societies are corrupted by tourism and its culture turned into floorshow parody. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated. It gives voice to people inside the tourism industry, its critics, and tourists themselves, and offers vital insights into a phenomenon that is central to the globalized world of today.