【世界银行】重新思考加勒比旅游业：更可持续未来的战略-2025

Summary of Rethinking Caribbean Tourism: Strategies for a More Sustainable Future

Core Content

Caribbean tourism is at a critical juncture, requiring a shift from traditional volume-based models to more sustainable and diversified strategies. The report highlights the need for a rethinking of tourism development to achieve yield, equity, and sustainability, especially in light of the challenges posed by the pandemic and the increasing consumer demand for sustainable and authentic travel experiences.

Main Viewpoints

• Tourism as a Key Economic Driver: Tourism is a vital component of the Caribbean economy, contributing around 22% of the region's GDP in 2019 and generating 2.75 million total jobs in 2023. It plays a crucial role in employment, particularly for women and youth.
• Current Model Vulnerabilities: The volume-based tourism model, which has historically focused on cruise and all-inclusive resorts, has exposed structural vulnerabilities. It results in low spending per tourist, limited fiscal revenue, and significant environmental and social impacts.
• Environmental and Social Risks: High-volume tourism has led to overdevelopment, with environmental costs such as pollution, high water and energy consumption, and waste generation. It also threatens the region's natural and cultural assets.
• Need for Diversification: The report emphasizes the importance of diversifying tourism segments, particularly through the development of adventure tourism, which can offer higher spending, greater local economic impact, and appeal to a different market segment of high-value tourists.
• Policy and Governance Challenges: There are significant issues with transparency and governance in the tourism sector, especially regarding tax incentives, fees, and environmental levies. These challenges have led to fiscal trade-offs and limited local integration into the tourism value chain.

Key Information

Current Tourism Performance

• Tourism contributes significantly to GDP and employment in the Caribbean.
• Women and youth are disproportionately represented in tourism employment.
• Spending per tourist in the Caribbean is lower compared to other regions like the Pacific, with an average of US$712 per arrival in 2019.
• Cruise tourism has dominated the sector, with cruise arrivals exceeding overnight arrivals since 2004.

Challenges in the Cruise Segment

• Cruise tourism is associated with lower spending per arrival.
• High proportion of cruise visitors leads to limited fiscal revenue and environmental degradation.
• Dominance by a few large cruise lines creates an uneven playing field and lack of transparency in fee collection and governance.

Challenges in the Accommodation Segment

• All-inclusive resorts and cruise ships are often owned by foreign entities, leading to limited local involvement.
• High capital costs per square foot (US$352–US$1,040) dictate foreign ownership and reduce local economic benefits.
• Lack of local infrastructure and integration into the broader economy results in limited spillover effects.

Challenges in the Adventure Segment

• Adventure tourism has potential to diversify the sector and increase value for local economies.
• There is a need to develop local supply chains and improve the quality and sustainability of adventure activities.
• Consumer demand for sustainable travel is growing, but awareness and consideration for adventure tourism in the Caribbean are lower than in other regions.

Policy Recommendations

• Cruise Segment: Policies should focus on diversifying the cruise market, improving transparency in concessions and fees, and promoting local linkages.
• Accommodation Segment: Encourage local ownership and investment, improve infrastructure, and support the development of alternative accommodation options such as short-term rentals (STR).
• Adventure Segment: Develop sustainable and high-quality adventure products, enhance local supply chains, and implement policies that align with global sustainability standards.

Future Pathways

• The report suggests a long-term, sustainable approach to tourism development that prioritizes resilience, inclusivity, and environmental protection.
• It encourages stakeholders to move beyond the traditional 'sun, sea, and sand' model to one that includes authentic experiences and local economic benefits.
• Integration with the blue and green economies is emphasized to create a more sustainable tourism ecosystem.

Key Figures and Data Highlights

• Tourism GDP Contribution: 22% in 2019, with a decline in 2020 due to the pandemic (53.2% drop).
• Tourism Employment: 2.75 million jobs in 2023, with women representing 57–70% of direct employment.
• Spending per Arrival: US$712 in the Caribbean vs. US$1,428 in the Pacific.
• Cruise Dominance: Over 83% of international arrivals in 2019 were for cruise tourism.
• Capital Costs: High development costs for all-inclusive resorts and cruise ships lead to foreign ownership and limited local benefit.

Conclusion

The Caribbean needs to transition from a volume-driven tourism model to a more sustainable and diversified one. This requires rethinking policies, promoting local ownership and integration, and focusing on high-value, sustainable tourism segments like adventure tourism. The report provides a comprehensive framework for achieving this transformation, aligning with global trends and supporting long-term economic and environmental resilience.