Tourism and Responsibility: Perspectives from Latin America and the Caribbean

This book discusses the responsibility, or otherwise, of tourism activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. It considers issues such as the reduction of poverty through tourism and the conflict between increasing volumes of air travel spent in our continuing search for pleasure and the resulting contribution to global warming.

The authors believe that tourism can only be adequately assessed through a consideration of how it fits into the structure of power. It is also argued that tourism cannot be analyzed without a consideration of its impacts on and links with development. This relationship between tourism, responsibility, power and development is explored in chapters covering both the macro and the micro level of responsibility. The authors look at methods of practising tourism responsibly or irresponsibly at the personal, company, national and international levels. The questions and dilemmas of "placing" responsibility in the tourism industry are examined throughout.

Widely illustrating all these themes and issues with examples and case studies from throughout the sub-continent, this book will be of importance to students and academics and to the work of practitioners of development and tourism-related projects run by both governmental and non-governmental aid and development agencies.

Dr Martin Mowforth is a part-time lecturer in the School of Geography at the University of Plymouth where his work focuses on issues of environment, development, sustainability, natural disasters and tourism. He has been and still is an occasional development worker in the region of Central America.
Clive Charlton is a principal lecturer in the School of Geography at the University of Plymouth with a long-standing teaching and research interest in Latin America (especially Mexico). His work focuses on issues of environment, transport, tourism and development.

Ian Munt is an independent urban development consultant and has worked on projects with UN agencies, bilateral donors and non-governmental organisations in Central America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe.

1. Introduction 2. Global Politics, Power and Play: The Macro Level of Responsibility 3. Local Politics, Poverty and Tourism: The Micro Level of Responsibility 4. Tourism and the Environment: Eco by Name, Eco by Nature? 5. Indigenous Peoples and Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean 6. The Heart of Darkness?: Tourism in Cities 7. Sexual Exploitation through Tourism 8. Power and Responsibility in Tourism: Know your Place