The projections over the past decade on the growth of the tourism industry have materialised. In 2003, tourism was the largest business sector in the world economy, employing 200 million people, generating $3.6 trillion in economic activity and accounting for 1 in every 12 or 8% of jobs worldwide.

The scale of tourism is not only limited to its growth and economic impact but also in terms of its diversity. The industry has evolved significantly over the decades from sun, sea and sand tourism. In fact, there are many other types of tourism on offer in the world market today. These are as diverse as the kinds of experiences that a tourist demands and include nature based tourism, cultural tourism, health tourism, genealogy tourism and even pilgrim tourism.

The types of tourism offered dictate the model of tourism development which destinations will pursue. What it is important to recognise is that different tourism models affect the local populations in different ways. Research and experience demonstrate that some models favor greater participation of local economically marginalised communities than others. The essential difference lies in how the tourism economy is structured, namely, the way in which the tourism product is supplied and the impact of tourist spending on different parts of the local economy. This determines who benefits most from tourist spending.

In recent years, two models of tourism have gained widespread attention in the Greater Caribbean, primarily because of their potential to bring meaningful benefits to the local, economically marginalised communities (whether poor, indigenous, rural or a mix of all these). These two models, ecotourism and community-based tourism, emerged in response to the desire of the contemporary tourists to take active, experiential holidays engaged in activities based in the natural, archaeological, historical or cultural heritage of a destination, as well as the desire of local host communities to take the lead in tourism development.

Ecotourism and community-based tourism models represent alternative forms of tourism that seek to enhance the benefits of tourism while reducing its disbenefits. Alternative forms of tourism, unlike conventional tourism, are characteristically supplied through small and medium operators and are most likely to bring direct revenue and benefits to rural communities, indigenous communities and the poor.

The potential of merging these two models into what is known as community-based ecotourism presents an opportunity for several communities of the Greater Caribbean. Community-based ecotourism is tourism that reflects ecotourism objectives, is community-based and involves local people. It seeks to achieve a balance between commercial success, the preservation of the cultural patrimony, and the conservation of the physical environment.

For community-based ecotourism to be sustainable, local people must be involved in all decision-making on how the tourism product is developed as well as the ongoing management of tourism activities. Local involvement can happen in two ways. Direct involvement, where the local communities are investors, owners and managers of the enterprises or indirectly, where locals are workers and/or provide goods and services for the tourist industry. Once there is a mix of direct and indirect involvement, this ensures that the rights, natural and cultural patrimony, protocol and values of local communities are both protected and promoted in community-based ecotourism initiatives.

Many positive examples of community-based ecotourism already exist. Amongst them, Maroon communities in the Misty Blue and John Crow Mountains of Jamaica; Mayan communities of Punta Allen and Xcalak in Quintana Roo, Mexico; Toledo district of Southern Belize, and the Amerindian communities in Galibi, Northeast Suriname. These communities share a common experience in using ecotourism as a strategy for community development, one that not only satisfies the tourists’ desire for adventure and comfort, but also the basic economic needs of the community itself. The community-based ecotourism model, if carefully implemented and managed, presents a valuable opportunity for community empowerment and poverty alleviation. Communities plagued by poverty and economic marginalisation should seriously consider community-based ecotourism as a viable option towards sustainable community development.