Tourism and the Environment in the Caribbean : An Economic Framework

While tourism is one of the most important economic activities in the Caribbean, its reliance is based uniquely on the natural environment, indicating the resource base upon which all of this economic activity is based, is however fragile. Thus, sustainable tourism, and its economic benefits require ensuring that the environmental resources the sector relies on, are managed responsibly by the countries of the Caribbean, the tourism/travel industry, and the visitors themselves. The study examines the links between tourism, and environment, pointing at the magnitude of environmental threats, and the role of information, at creating strong incentives, addressing environmental problems certification schemes, to allow credible advertisement of its environmental quality. Capturing tourism economic "rents" - defined as an excess return to an asset - is viewed as a policy question for governments, on how to use these rents effectively. Mechanisms to capture rents include charging user fees when accessing a particular environmental resource, however, when environmental resources are public goods, user fees do not provide a practical means of capturing generated rents, thus more general taxation schemes are required. Based on this analysis, recommendations include the establishment of corporate income taxes, and moderate tariff rates for tourism inputs, establishing taxation, to be partly, and explicitly identified for environmental, and/or resource user fees.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Dixon, John, Hamilton, Kirk, Pagiola, Stefano, Segnestam, Lisa
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2001-03
Subjects:	ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, AIR POLLUTION, APPROACH TO TOURISM, BEACHES, BEACHFRONT PROPERTY, BLUE FLAG, CERTIFICATION, COASTAL AREAS, CONSERVATION, CORAL REEF, CORAL REEFS, CRUISE, CRUISE SHIPS, CULTURAL HERITAGE, CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM, CULTURAL RESOURCES, DESTINATIONS, ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC RENTS, ECOTOURISM, EMPLOYMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE BASE, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS, EXPENDITURES, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, FISH, GNP, HERITAGE TOURISM, HOLIDAYS, HOTELS, IMPACT OF TOURISM, IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM, INCOME, INSURANCE, INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, LANDSCAPES, MARINE PARK, MASS TOURISM, NATIONAL HERITAGE, NATIONAL PARKS, NATURAL AREAS, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCE, NATURAL RESOURCE BASE, NATURAL RESOURCES, NATURE TOURISM, NUMBERS OF VISITORS, PASSENGERS, POSITIVE EXTERNALITIES, PRESERVATION, PRIVATE GOODS, PUBLIC GOODS, PURCHASING POWER, RECYCLING, RESEARCH AGENDA, RESORTS, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, RESOURCE USE, SAILING, SCUBA DIVING, SEWAGE TREATMENT, SOCIAL COSTS, SOCIAL IMPACTS, SOCIAL WELFARE, SOLID WASTE, SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, STAKEHOLDERS, STATISTICAL DATA, SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, TAXATION, TOURISM, TOURISM ASSETS, TOURISM DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM FACILITIES, TOURISM INDUSTRY, TOURISM ORGANIZATION, TOURISM PRODUCT, TOURISM PRODUCTS, TOURISM PROGRAM, TOURISM SECTOR, TOURIST, TOURIST AREAS, TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, TOURIST FACILITIES, TOURIST INDUSTRY, TOURISTS, TOURS, TRAVEL INDUSTRY, WASTE DISPOSAL, WASTE PER DAY, WASTEWATER TREATMENT, WORLD TOURISM, WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION TOURISM DEVELOPMENT; ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS; TOURIST POLICY; TOURIST TRADE TAXATION; ENVIRONMENTAL TAX; ECONOMIC REGULATION; NATURAL RESOURCES TAXATION; INCENTIVE COSTS; POLICY FRAMEWORK; USER FEES; RENT TAXES, WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/03/1570699/tourism-environment-caribbean-economic-framework http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18299
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