Hi #YugenCommunity!
Let’s talk about Tourism!
Sunday 27th September has been named World Tourism Day by the United Nations. From a variety of festivals to sun,sea and sand to exploring wildlife reserves, tourism bears great significance to the Caribbean region. It is the principal source of revenue for many countries within the Caribbean region with several citizens being part of the upstream and downstream sectors within the economy. Because so many livelihoods are predicated on tourism, I thought it would be interesting to discuss tourism as it relates to climate change.
With the increasing amount and intensity of hurricanes, various states across the Caribbean have lost citizens and a wide array of natural resources in the wake of hurricanes. Furthermore, they have had to face the stark reality of having to rebuild infrastructure and rehabilitate their population. For the tourism sector this has resulted in an immobilized workforce and destruction of tourism infrastructure such as hotels. For instance, the passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017 destroyed 40% of Dominica’s hotel rooms and resulted in a massive decline of tourist arrivals in the following quarter.
In order to cope with such catastrophic effects, islands have pledged to become more climate resilient in the construction of their infrastructure and have opted to invest in eco friendly low impact models such as glamping tents which can be easily disassembled. Governments have also sought to invest in other forms of sustainability such as geothermal energy which would allow for visitors and citizens to have immediate access to electricity in the wake of a hurricane.
Climate change has also threatened our wildlife. Coral reefs have had to face high levels of carbon dioxide and warmer waters which has resulted in coral bleaching. This poses a great threat to the marine ecosystems of the Caribbean and reduces the appeal of marine ecotourism for visitors. Last but not least, the destruction of coral has had substantial implications for our fisheries and food security.
However, we tend to forget that the tourism and transport sectors are inextricably linked. Over the last few years, the transport sector and more specifically the cruise ship sector has come under scrutiny for its contribution to global carbon emissions and marine pollution. However, coupled with more stringent regulations from certain countries, there have been movements towards greater fuel efficiency and sustainable practices onboard such as the usage of liquified natural gas and recycling initiatives. Be sure to check out Tamara' blog post to learn more about Maritime Transport and the environment! Here's the link: https://www.yugencaribbean.com/post/world-maritime-day
I would love to hear your thoughts on tourism and climate change :)
1. What are some other ways in which the tourism sector has bore the brunt of climate change?
2. What do you think can be done to mitigate the effects of climate change locally, regionally and internationally?
- Caron D.