Heritage tourism is only just developing in the Caribbean. This may be a surprise to many. However, if we are to go by global heritage tourism standards the harsh reality is most Caribbean countries are well behind their developing and developed country counterparts in the niche market.
All is not lost. The Tourism Master Plans in almost every country within the last decade speak to ‘actionable’ plans to develop heritage tourism. The market size alone would have precipitated this call to action. Take a look at these statistics from a report commissioned by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation in 2008.
Tourism niche | Estimates of Global Market Size |
Bird Watching | 3 million |
Charity | 250,000 |
Culinary | (figures are mostly domestic) |
Cultural/Heritage | 65 million |
Cycling | 1.5 million |
Diving | 2.7 million |
Extreme Sports | 500,000 |
Festivals | 10 million |
Fishing | 3 million |
Golf | 6 million |
Health, Wellness and Spa | 5 million |
Homestays | 500,000 |
MICE | 50 million |
Sailing | 10 million |
Set Jetting | 250,000 |
Soft Adventure | 9 million |
Sports | 12 million |
Trekking | 5 million |
Weddings and Honeymoons | 6 million |
Wildlife | 12 million |
Statistics highlight the estimated global market size of developing niche markets in the tourism industry within the Caribbean. Data compiled by Acorn Consulting Ltd on behalf of Caribbean Tourism Organisation, February 2008. The Cultural/Heritage niche enjoys the largest global market size in the Caribbean at an estimated 65 million.
Heritage tourism ‘benchmarks’
Moving forward, Caribbean policy makers including tourism and heritage specialists, need to pay particular attention to the role of the World Heritage List (WHL), which has become the unofficial benchmark that measures heritage tourism activity across the globe. For example, the World Economic Forum (WEF) which produces the annual Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) relies heavily on World Heritage activity in measuring the performance of over 100 countries in its annual reports.
Among the indicators applied by the TTCI in its ‘natural and cultural resources’ pillar are the number of UNESCO Natural and Cultural World Heritage Sites in a country. The WEF recently added a new measurement component – creative industries exports- which have been adding value to the cultural heritage tourism industry in recent years.
In the past decade, UNESCO has established key partnerships with noted organizations in an effort to strengthen its capacities to preserve the sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. The initiatives are, however, also serving as strategic research engines for a range of interest groups including students and vacationers, interested in the world’s diverse cultural heritage. As seen in the case of the non-profit organization 1001wonders.org/world-heritage-tour.org, visitors to the website will be able to access photographic images of selected world heritage sites.
UNESCO also partners with Our Place Publishing Limited to produce the Our Place World Heritage Collection described by UNESCO as, “the first official World Heritage photographic databank”. Our Place through its creative publications, photographic and multi-media exhibitions is influencing tourist activity to many world heritage sites. UNESCO’s 2009 partnership with Trip Advisor, referenced as ‘the world’s largest on-line community of travellers is perhaps one of the most noted ‘benchmarks’ by which tourists are planning their cultural vacations. An estimated 25 million on-line visitors utilize Trip Advisor every month to find and share travel information.
A pertinent question moving forward is, what future do Small Island Developing States have in the heritage tourism industry that has become increasingly aligned to World Heritage status?
Where is the Caribbean in World Heritage?
Like the Pacific, the Caribbean can be categorized as one of the most under-represented regions on the WHL. However, the region has had early and active involvement in the World Heritage Convention. There are twenty-eight (28) island states in the region, including the main islands of Belize, Guyana and Suriname which are defined by UNESCO as being part of the Caribbean.
Nearly half are signatories to the Convention and some have been actively seeking a position on the WHL long before the launch of the Global Strategy. Guyana was a very early signatory in 1977, while Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda ,and Jamaica became signatories in the 1980s. Belize adhered to the Convention in 1990 and St. Lucia signed on in 1991. Six (6) countries were added following the Global Strategy: Dominica in 1995, Suriname in 1997, Grenada in 1998, Barbados in 2002, St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2003 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2005.
Of the thirty-two (32) countries that have ratified the World Heritage Convention in Latin America and the Caribbean, twenty-five (25) States Parties have properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. In total there are 121 inscribed sites in LAC. Of this number, fourteen (14) sites are located in the Caribbean. These include Cuba (9 sites); Dominica (1); Dominican Republic (1); Haiti (1); Saint Kitts and Nevis (1); and St. Lucia (1) site. There are seven (7) States Parties with no World Heritage properties: Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Grenada; Guyana; Jamaica; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and Trinidad and Tobago.
Global Strategy spurs positive movements
The good news is, there there are eight (8) countries that currently have sites on the Tentative List. These are: St. Kitts and Nevis; the Dominican Republic; Cuba; Haiti; Jamaica; Barbados; Grenada and Guyana.Still, there are other signatories such as Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda that are not pursuing nomination to the World Heritage List.
Increased World Heritage participation in the Caribbean can be attributed in large part to the Small Island Developing States programmes instituted by UNESCO. One such example is the Caribbean Action Plan for World Heritage. The programme was introduced as part of the Global Strategy which acknowledges that the region is under-represented in terms of wealth and diversity of its natural and cultural heritage. The Action Plan identifies four categories that are central features of cultural heritage in the Caribbean: fortifications, plantation systems, wooden heritage and archaeological sites. From this Action Plan, a number of sites specific to these categories have been subject to technical assessments, and recommendations for their maintenance and development.
As an extension to the Caribbean Action Plan, the Caribbean Capacity Building Programme (CCBP) was endorsed by the World Heritage Committee in 2004. The programme is concerned with cultural heritage management in the region, as well as broadening knowledge and understanding of the World Heritage Convention. The programme brings together a range of stakeholders including politicians and decision-makers, communities, youth and other stakeholders who are located in or near cultural heritage sites, as well as professionals working in conservation and management of cultural heritage.
The success and sustainability of the programme will lie in the commitment of each participating country to carry through with their individual role and responsibility in heritage management. For example, management of the cultural heritage at the micro level will not bear much fruit if the support is not forthcoming at the macro-level. In other words, policy makers must not only shape, but enforce the necessary policies and legislative frameworks for cultural heritage management.
Facing the realities of the global landscape
Despite the achievements under the Global Strategy, Caribbean islands appear to be lagging behind in implementing policies and programmes which support the World Heritage Conventions to which many have ratified. As explained by a regional UNESCO Informant, the organization is unable to offer countries any tangible assistance if they are not fulfilling their own part by “piloting (necessary) activities”.
There are, however, notable examples of island states that are making significant strides in cultural heritage conservation, management and tourism development. St. Lucia described as ‘one of the forerunners’ in effecting legislation to protect the island’s heritage assets and Cuba, with its nine (9) world heritage sites are among the region’s leading cultural heritage destinations in the Caribbean.
Here WestJet Vacations.com shares its visit to St. Lucia's World Heritage Site, The Pitons.
SIDS cannot escape the globalization of heritage and tourism related activities. Reducing and eliminating the gap between global and local action is imperative to sustainable heritage development in SIDS. The countries will not be able to channel any serious competition amongst their developing and developed country counterparts if they are unable to initiate and sustain quality heritage products.
If the region is serious about global heritage tourism, world heritage status is a necessity. Admittedly, not all islands will make the WHL. The reasons are many bearing in mind the range of vulnerabilities these islands face. But let us be frank - with the quality of heritage assets unique to the Caribbean, the region should be enjoying a far more competitive presence on the world heritage list.
This 'quandry' is the very reason I believe small islands must show resilience and develop initiatives which will work in their favour. The Island Heritage List (IHL) which was introduced in a previous post may be a possible outlet to not only showcase the uniqueness of island heritage; but help bring prominence to and position the assets as viable 'players' in global heritage tourism. So a reminder, nominate your island heritage asset and 'experience' to the IHL!
*All World Heritage statistics cited in this post represent UNESCO/WHC data up to April 2009.
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