is not a fantastic [social]
leveller.”
New Economic Foundation
researcher on climate change
Victoria Johnson argued: “The
www.travelweekly.co.uk
The Caribbean
economy relies
heavily on tourism
benefi ts of tourism are overstated.
Much of tourism spending
leaks out of destinations.”
Consultant and former
deputy director of the St Lucia
Tourist Board Felix Finisterre
agreed there is a need to redistribute
the benefi ts. “The terms
of trade in tourism are imbalanced,”
he said. “In St Lucia,
30% of workers earn below the
taxable income. But that is not
the debate. To lose the UK
market would be disastrous.
“The Caribbean is the most
tourism-dependent region in
the world – accounting for one
million jobs. We do not
contribute what the developing
countries do to climate
change.
“St Lucia once had a power-
Heape: ‘How do you work out
the balance of pain and gain?’
ful banana industry, but production
has gone from nine
million to 40,000 tonnes a
year. Now our lives depend on
tourism.
“Without a vibrant tourism
industry there would be social
chaos. There would be a loss of
jobs, particularly among
women. It would lead to overfarming,
over-fi shing, a denuded
environment and loss of
biodiversity.”
Finisterre dismissed the
suggestion that Caribbean islands
focus on local tourism
markets. “Tourism within the
region does not bring foreign
currency. We have to work with
established air routes and go
where we can get yield,”
he said.
Heape agreed, saying: “I’m
not a climate-change denier. I
think global warming will be
faster than most models predict.
But how do you measure
the benefi t of tourism against
damage to the environment?
Everybody is missing their targets
at the moment. Why pick
on developing countries that
depend on tourism?”
Clarke replied: “We want to
pick on carbon and fi nd a solution
that affects everyone
equally.”
The Tourism Concern
audience voted 35-23 in
favour of the gains from
tourism outweighing the
damage. But what do you
think?
Email ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk.
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