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Is It Safe For Black Businesses To Depend On Tourism?

As I sat in a local coffee shop on the island of Antigua, I noticed the majority, if not all of the customers were tourists (myself included). Well, sort of — I lived on the island for several years. Therefore, seeing the droves of tourists that flocked to the island during the spring and summer months wasn’t new to me. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism is responsible for 235 million jobs, or one in every 12 jobs worldwide. The UNWTO even lists tourism as a means to end poverty in the 3rd world and non-western countries. Although tourism can be lucrative for local businesses like the local coffee shop in Antigua, there are unseen pitfalls that are not broadcasted by the UNWTO. Many of these locally Black-owned businesses start to over cater to tourists to the point that their business begins to damage the culture of their home country. What I’ve noticed during my time in Antigua is that tourists don’t want to experience a different way of life and culture....

Devin Crudup

Sep 30, 2019