Cuba – an island full of contradictions: the people are poor, but happy; the socialist regime takes care of every Cuban, but puts the money into the own pockets while the people have nothing; Fidel Castro once named the tourism as “the evil we have to have” but in fact, tourism became the last resort for the economy of the whole country.
Today, his brother Raul Castro is the face of the “Partido Comunista de Cuba” (PCC), the only party in the socialist country and also President of the country. But concerning the political orientation, nothing's changed – at least de facto. In fact, the change of the political leadership from Fidel to Raul was a signal for the Western societies to start a new dialogue with the isolated country. After Barack Obama's election as President in 2009, both nations showed willingness to approach each other.
The slow but steady reconciliation of the two archenemies was noticed worldwide and led to a further increase of Cuba tourists, especially from Europe, but also more and more from the USA. Due to the great importance of the tourism sector for Cuba, this development seems to be absolutely positive. But the progressive mass tourism creates more and more problems due to a lacking adequate touristic infrastructure. Furthermore, the masses of foreign tourists menace the long-term preservation of Cuba's traditions and identity.
In this thesis, I will analyse Cuba's tourism policy of the past, of the present and possible developments in the future as well as the consequences for the involved actors: the local population, the tourists, the involved foreign and domestic travel companies and the political decision-makers.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 History of Cuba – a short introduction
2.1 Revolution of 1959 and implementation of socialism
2.2 Cuba crises of the 1960´s and 1990´s
2.3 Cuba´s opening towards the western world
3 Cuba´s tourism policy in times of socialist rule
3.1 Attitude of the socialist regime towards tourism
3.2 Dependency of socialist Cuba on tourism
3.3 Involvement of local actors in tourism
3.4 Ecological aspects of Cuban tourism policy at that time
3.5 From the socialist orientation resulting restrictions in tourism
4 Impacts of opening up the country on tourism
4.1 General developments over the past years
4.2 Forms of tourism in Cuba and their meaning for the country
4.2.1 Beach holiday
4.2.2 Round trips
4.2.3 Cruise tourism
4.2.4 Alternative Forms of tourism
4.3 Chances vs. Risks
4.3.1 Risk of loss of identity – How to preserve the socialist attractions
4.3.2 Poverty vs. mass tourism – ways to involve the local population in tourism
4.3.3 Future projects and Destination Management strategies
4.3.4 Crime and sex tourism in Cuba – the negative effects of mass tourism
4.3.5 Handling with sociocultural differences between Cubans and tourists
4.4 Collaboration between western travel companies, government and population
4.5 Implementation of sustainable tourism vs. greed for profit
5 Changed perception of the destination Cuba in Germany
5.1 Meaning of the destination for German tourists and tour operators
5.2 How German tour operators could revise their portfolio for the destination Cuba
6 Future of the tourism in Cuba and recommendations for involved actors
Research Objectives and Thematic Scope
This thesis analyzes the evolution of Cuba’s tourism policy from the socialist era to the present, examining the socio-economic impacts and sustainability challenges arising from the country's gradual opening to the Western world, while evaluating the consequences for local stakeholders and international tour operators.
- Historical transformation of Cuba’s political and economic landscape.
- Economic and socio-cultural impacts of tourism development.
- Evaluation of tourism sustainability and ecological preservation.
- Role of international travel companies and their collaboration with the Cuban state.
- Future outlook and strategic recommendations for tourism management in Cuba.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Involvement of local actors in tourism
To investigate if the local population was also involved in the tourism sector of Cuba during the regency of Fidel Castro, I will use another pillar of sustainability, the socio-cultural sustainability. The question if and how much the local actors were involved in the tourism sector from the economical viewpoint was already part of chapter 3.1 and will for this reason not be the main focus in this chapter. The content of this chapter is about the protection of cultural diversity, the question what includes the cultural diversity of the people which had to handle with the new forms of tourism as well as the protection and conservation of cultural heritages and typical traditions in the country. I will also check in which way the new tourism boom changed the society and which influence the western lifestyle had on the Cubans.
Although international tourism was no important sector between the revolution and the early 1990´s in Cuba, the local people were better included in the sector than during the boom period. After the fraternization with the Soviet Union and other socialist countries, the tourism sector was obviously much smaller and economically quite unimportant. But the population could benefit more from it. Primarily, they could benefit as traveller, not as host. One of the most important goals of the new regime was to increase the relaxation of the own population and to give them the possibility to discover the own homeland as well as travelling to other socialist countries which welcomed the new socialist brothers and sisters.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of Cuba's political contradictions and outlines the research objective regarding the country's tourism policy evolution.
2 History of Cuba – a short introduction: Details the historical background from Columbus to the 1959 Revolution, focusing on the implementation of socialism and subsequent national crises.
3 Cuba´s tourism policy in times of socialist rule: Analyzes the socialist regime's shifting attitude toward tourism, including its economic dependency and early restrictions.
4 Impacts of opening up the country on tourism: Examines the consequences of recent policy changes, evaluating specific travel forms and the resulting socio-economic chances and risks.
5 Changed perception of the destination Cuba in Germany: Investigates the growing popularity of Cuba among German travelers and evaluates how tour operators adapt their portfolios.
6 Future of the tourism in Cuba and recommendations for involved actors: Discusses the future trajectory of Cuban tourism and provides strategic recommendations for stakeholders to ensure sustainable development.
Keywords
Cuba, Tourism Policy, Socialism, Sustainability, Economic Development, Mass Tourism, Socio-cultural Impact, Destination Management, Cuba Real Tours, Joint Ventures, Historical Heritage, Travel Restrictions, Tourism Infrastructure, Cultural Diversity, Tourism Regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis examines the historical and current tourism policy of Cuba, analyzing how the country balances its socialist identity with the increasing demands and impacts of globalized mass tourism.
What are the core themes covered?
Central themes include the economic dependency on tourism, the socio-cultural effects of foreign visitors, environmental protection efforts, and the collaboration between the Cuban state and international travel companies.
What is the central research question?
The research explores how Cuba’s opening toward the Western world influences its tourism industry and what consequences this has for the local population, the environment, and political stability.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author applies the "three pillars of sustainability" model (economic, socio-cultural, and environmental) to measure the impact of tourism policies, complemented by the "Sinus milieu model" to analyze traveler types.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers historical developments, the transition from state-controlled tourism to market-oriented measures, the specific impacts of various tourism forms (beach, cruise, round trips), and the management strategies of the Cuban state.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Cuba, socialism, tourism policy, sustainability, destination management, and socio-cultural impact.
How does the author evaluate the "tourist apartheid" phenomenon?
The author views this as a critical negative byproduct of the tourism boom, where restrictions on local access to tourist areas created social division, casting a shadow on the industry.
What recommendations are made for the future of Cuban tourism?
The author advises limiting hotel construction to protect nature, increasing the involvement of the local population in tourism benefits, and prioritizing sustainable eco-tourism over rapid, unbridled mass-market expansion.
- Quote paper
- Raphael Lutz (Author), 2016, Nostalgia vs. Globalisation. Cuba's Tourism Policy reaches a crossroads, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/341543
