Tourism: A moderm form of colonialism in Haiti?

1. TOURISM:
A MODERN FORM OF COLONIALISM IN
HAITI?
Lecturer Event & Tourism Management
The University of Winchester (Faculty Business, Law, Sport)Dr Hugues

2. STRUCTURE
1 – Introduction
2 – Literature review
3- Tourism a godsend or an evil for Haiti?
4 – Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
Tourism profile of the studied destination

4. Haiti was the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean between the
1940s and the 1960s and, as such, attracted an international jet set.
In 1957, the dictatorship and the atmosphere of terror organised by Francois
Duvalier and his Tontons Macoutes, crippled the country’s tourism industry.
By 2012, the tourism industry had been identified by the new government of
Haiti as a top priority that could lead to the economic development of the
country. The Ministry of Tourism has since focused most of its effort in changing
the image of the destination (Séraphin, 2014b).

5. LITERATURE REVIEW
Colonialism
Tourism and colonialism

6. 1. COLONIALISM
Colonialism started four thousand years after the slave trade in the 15th century. In the case
of Africa, colonisation was characterised by: (a) a political control of the continent by
European countries to ensure the protection of their economic interest (b) an exploitation of
local labour (c) exploitation of local natural resources. To resist this colonialism the majority
of African countries sought independence.
Intra-state and inter-state conflicts in contemporary Africa are the consequences of
colonialism (Bayeh, 2015). The situation was more or less the same in Haiti. Butler and
Séraphin (2013) have established that Africa (particularly Kenya) and Haiti have many
commonalities.

8. 2. TOURISM AND COLONIALISM
At the moment, tourism is all about people from rich countries visiting poor countries.
People from poor countries are often denied access to rich countries. In this instance,
tourism can be considered as a form of colonialism of northern countries over
southern countries, with people of the north feeling superior to people of the south
most of the time. Tourism from an ethnographic point of view represents in this case a
danger for local cultures (Franck, 2000).
Ian Thomson, in ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’ (2014) explains that tourists
in Haiti are not just tourists, they are white people: ‘Blanc’. They are constantly
referred to by their skin colour and are seen as a cash cow. In the tourism and
hospitality sector this can be an issue particularly when it comes to customer service
(Séraphin, 2013; Séraphin & Butler, 2013).

9. TOURISM: A GODSEND OR AN EVIL FOR
HAITI?
Colonialism in the Haitian tourism context
Entrepreneurship in tourism as a tool for emancipation for
Haitians

10. 1. COLONIALISM IN THE HAITIAN TOURISM CONTEXT
In the updated version of ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’, Thomson (2014)
highlights an important question regarding the impact of the tourism industry for the
country:
‘New Hilton and Marriott hotels are due to open in Port-au-Prince; change is coming fast.
The question is whether the poor - that is, the majority of Haitians – will benefit from the
foreign loans and investment, whether money will trickle down from the Hilton to the slums
at the harbour’s mouth. No doubt something will be lost as the global market brings more
all-inclusive resort hotels and standardised Palm Beach sport cabin villages. As in
Jamaica in the 1950s, it will be a trade-off between dignity and the mighty dollar (...) but
jobs are needed’ (Thomson, 2014: xiv).
Based on the above quote and findings from the literature review section, we are going to
consider tourism as a form of colonialism in Haiti. The purpose of this research paper
is also to determine a way to use tourism as a tool for emancipation.

11. 2. COLONIALISM IN THE HAITIAN TOURISM CONTEXT
(references)
Séraphin, H. & Butler, C. (2013) Impacts of the slave trade on the service industry in
Kenya and Haiti: The case of the Tourism and Hospitality sector, Journal of Hospitality
and Tourism, 11, (1), 71-89
Séraphin, H. & Nolan, E. (2014) Voodoo in Haiti: A Religious Ceremony at the
Service of the ‘Houngan’ Called ‘Tourism’, in Frost, W. & Laing, J. (Eds), Rituals and
traditional events in the modern world, New-York: Routledge

13. 3. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN TOURISM AS A TOOL FOR
EMANCIPATION FOR HAITIANS
Michel (2000) claims tourism can fully benefit a destination, only if the locals are fully
involved in the planning and development of the industry
Manyara and Jones (2005), micro and small scale enterprises can increase the
participation of the poor in the tourism industry. Rogerson (2003) based on his research
in South Africa supports Manyara and Jones (2005) as he argues that it is only through
small enterprises that rural people can participate in tourism.
When formal tourism enterprises are owned by locals, there is a high likelihood of
purchase of local supplies, meaning other sectors of the local economy are going to
benefit from this activity (Shah, 2000). Wanhill (2000) supports this point of view as he
contends that for tourism to be beneficial in terms of income generation, economic
growth, poverty reduction, and improving rural livelihoods

14. CONCLUSION
The tourism sector in Haiti can go one of three ways:
•The tourism sector is mainly in the hands of Haitians – The Haitian identity
remains strong in the industry. The tourists are therefore going to experience an
original product
•The Haitian diaspora has the upper hand in the tourism sector – The Haitian
identity is somehow diluted. The tourists are going to have a mixed cultural
experience and product
•The tourism sector is no longer in the hands of Haitians or the Haitian diaspora,
but in the hands of foreigners or international companies, the Haitians will be
totally alienated from their tourism industry and the products / services offered to
tourists will be standardised and the destination will lose it competitive advantage

15. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
 ANY QUESTION?
 Hugues.seraphin@winchester.ac
.uk