Caribbean Tourism's Colonial Roots

This month I have THREE stories in this month’s issue of Travel + Leisure. The one I’m most proud of is Beyond The Beaches, a personal essay about the colonialist roots of modern Caribbean tourism. (What were the overseas guests of European plantation owners if not the region’s first tourists?)

As I say in the story, although I’ve championed the Caribbean in my stories and videos for decades now, I, too, have failed to acknowledge the region’s painful past in my work, and been complicit in presenting idyllic yet incomplete stories of the region. That has changed. The Caribbean is a stunningly beautiful place that I want everyone to visit. But I also want you to go with your eyes open, knowing that beyond its superficial beauty lies a painful past. And to deny that past is to do yourself, the islands and Caribbean people a grave disservice.

Nevertheless, your vacay needn’t be a literal guilt trip. So I suggest ways we, as conscious and respectful travelers, can celebrate and appreciate the people who make those vacations possible. I hope you’ll click here to find out how.