Caribbean Tourism: A History of Colonial and Environmental Damage

Published on December 12, 2025

“Luxury tourism in the Caribbean today frequently promotes itself as an eternal paradise of sun, sea, and sand, an escapist haven away from the pressures and strains of everyday life.” Yet, beyond the confines of an all-inclusive resort or a tourist cruise ship pier, there exists a nuanced and more complex world, shaped as it is by colonialism and an ever-present precarious relationship with the natural world. Recent research conducted by “Common Wealth” highlights that today’s tourist industry within the Caribbean continues to be haunted by traces of colonialism and its system of wealth extraction imposed upon it as a result of British colonialism, which relied for so long on enslaved Africans and extracted enormous wealth.

The Legacy of Slavery and Wealth Extraction in the Caribbean

The foundations of modern Caribbean tourism are intertwined with the region’s colonial past. Sir Hilary Beckles, a prominent Barbadian historian, refers to Barbados as the birthplace of British slave society. Between 1640 and 1807, Britain transported roughly 387,000 enslaved West Africans to the island. The brutality they endured—from whippings and amputations to executions—was part of a system designed to extract wealth through forced labor. Life expectancy for enslaved people in Barbados was shockingly low, with many dying within a few years of arrival.

The profits from this exploitation were immense. In the 18th century, historian Joseph E. Inikori estimated that enslaved labor generated 80% of the value of export commodities from the Americas. Although plantation owners grew rich, Britain’s imperial policies ensured that most of the wealth flowed back to Europe, leaving the Caribbean colonies with only a fraction of the profits.

This wealth extraction system left an enduring legacy on the Caribbean’s social and economic landscape. Islands like Barbados, once the heart of the sugar economy, now find themselves reliant on a “rebranded plantation economy,” where tourism has largely replaced sugar production as the main industry. Despite the shift, much of the capital generated from tourism continues to flow out of the region, benefitting multinational corporations rather than local communities.

Tourism’s Continued Exploitation of Local Resources

Despite the transition from sugar to tourism, the Caribbean’s economic system remains largely extractive. Fiona Compton, a St Lucian artist and historian, notes that many of the region’s hotel chains, cruise lines, and airlines are owned by foreign companies. For every dollar spent by tourists in the Caribbean, 80% is repatriated overseas. This imbalance leaves local economies struggling to retain the wealth generated by tourism.

Tourists visiting the Caribbean often remain isolated within resorts, with limited interaction with the local economy. All-inclusive hotels, cruise ships, and private beaches have become common features of the Caribbean tourism model, shielding visitors from the realities of local life. On cruise ships, for example, passengers rarely venture beyond the confines of the ship’s amenities, and when they do, it is often through “approved” vendors or private excursions, further restricting their engagement with the local economy.

Moreover, the environmental costs of tourism are significant. Large cruise ships produce staggering amounts of waste daily, including sewage, medical waste, and oily bilge-water. On land, tourism infrastructure, including water-intensive hotels, further strains the Caribbean’s already scarce resources. With many islands facing water scarcity, the environmental footprint of the tourism industry becomes a serious concern, exacerbating existing challenges for local communities.

Tourism as the ‘Last Resort’ for Economic Survival

Despite the negative consequences, tourism remains the primary economic driver for many Caribbean nations. After gaining independence in the 1960s and 1970s, several Caribbean countries experimented with socialist models to reduce reliance on the plantation economy. However, these experiments were often met with resistance from foreign powers, notably the United States, which pressured governments to abandon such models.

By the 1980s, tourism became the “last resort” for many Caribbean nations, offering the only viable option for generating foreign exchange. Despite the social and environmental costs, tourism remains the lifeblood of the region’s economies. Matthew Bishop, a political economist, highlights how tourism, despite its limitations, provides much-needed foreign currency for small island nations that struggle with debt and underdevelopment.

Cultural and Economic Dispossession: A Continuing Struggle

The legacy of colonialism and slavery is not just historical; it continues to shape the lives of Caribbean people today. Many locals are still excluded from land ownership, with much of the best land now owned by multinational hotel chains, cruise lines, and foreign investors. Compton describes this as “cultural and economic dispossession,” where once-vibrant community spaces are replaced by beach resorts and private property, and locals are often made to feel unwelcome on their own land.

The tourism industry, in many ways, continues the extractive practices of the colonial era, benefiting outsiders while marginalizing local populations. These issues are especially evident in the dominance of foreign-owned hotel chains and cruise lines that operate with little regard for local communities, leaving behind environmental damage and minimal economic benefits for residents.

The Climate Crisis: A Double Burden for the Caribbean

Adding to the complexity of the Caribbean’s tourism dilemma is the climate crisis. Despite contributing only a tiny fraction of global emissions, the Caribbean is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. Rising sea levels, more frequent hurricanes, and extreme weather events have already caused billions of dollars in damage, including the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa in 2023.

Ironically, while the Caribbean faces climate devastation, it remains heavily indebted. Countries in the region borrowed extensively in the 20th century to build tourism infrastructure such as airports and ports for massive cruise ships, leaving them with significant debt burdens. These debts siphon off resources that could be used for climate adaptation and resilience efforts, further perpetuating the cycle of economic dependence and environmental vulnerability.

Calls for Reparations and a New Tourism Model

In light of the history of colonialism, economic dispossession, and environmental exploitation, many Caribbean leaders and activists are calling for reparations. The region’s history of exploitation demands more than symbolic gestures or token sums of money. Compton advocates for a less extractive tourism model, one based on community ownership and local economic empowerment. Eco-lodges, locally owned heritage tour companies, and sustainable tourism initiatives offer potential pathways to a more equitable and environmentally responsible future.

Governments must also take action to ensure that tourism companies pay fair taxes, purchase goods locally, and contribute to community development. Rodney Grant, a government advisor in Barbados, calls for policy changes that would incentivize businesses to engage more meaningfully with local communities, ensuring that the benefits of tourism are more evenly distributed.

The Need for Structural Change

It is in navigating these complex challenges that the Caribbean can hope for the emergence of a new tourism model inspirational in community ownership and environmental stewardship. Indeed, only such systemic changes will finally allow the Caribbean to develop a tourism industry that truly works for both its people and the planet.