Globalization - Barbados Case Study

Globalization is defined as a chain of processes including "diffusion, migration, and acculturation, working to promote change in a world in which nations and people are increasingly interlinked and mutually dependent. (page 40, Mirrors of humanity). One of the many forces of globalization is travel and tourism. Both of those involve transnational migration, and a lot of attraction from the media and communication systems. Global information about different products, lifestyles, and resources is able to spread and be transmitted from culture to another.

​​Tourism plays a large role in the islands of the Caribbean. Originally tourism was not as associated with leisure as it is today. It first started with the elite Americans who wanted to travel to Europe to enhance the education of their culture and history. As the concept of tourism gained popularity, so did the idea of an organized tour. Packaged tours relieve the amount of effort travelers need to put into planning their extravagant vacations. The hotel accommodations, guided tours, and source of transportation all gets set up for them.

But why choose a destination in the islands of the Caribbean? Interestingly enough, initially people were not in favor of going to a beach as a place of recreation. Sand was a discomfort and the strong sun was a hazard. However opinions changed over time, around the 1920's, when seaside resorts got a reputation for health giving properties. "Sea bathing" and "sea breezes" were beneficial in the healing process. The Caribbean w as the perfect place for an "exotic", tropical, sensational getaway, safe of disease and pests, at least that's what the advertisements said.

​The governments jumped on board with this new boom of tourism too. They truly believed tourism was the key to their economic development and were willing to pay the price for the long-term benefit. It required many capital outlays for infrastructure, entailing a need for the creations of airports, roads, sewage plants, and more electricity. Tourism has almost no limit when it comes to the potential growth in attracting foreign currency. The government stressed that it would greatly raise the natives standard of living. In addition, all the main aspects that go into tourism rely on the natural resources already in the region. Tourism generates new agricultural markets that stimulate domestic infrastructure; the profit going straight into the hands of the people. Barbados specifically was quick to recognize their islands attractiveness; the exceptionally good weather, natural beauty, political stability, and friendly people. Barbadians were eager to leave their work in agriculture on sugar plantations, to engage in the new field of tourism.