ABSTRACT
Just mention the Caribbean and eyes light up with excitement. The name conjures up images of warm sandy beaches, turquoise waters and palm trees, rum punch, smiling happy faces and the sound of steel drums in the distance. ‘Caribbean, everything you want it to be,’ CTO TRAVEL FAX
We in the Caribbean have not built pyramids, pillars, cathedrals, amphitheatres, opera houses etc that are the wonders of the world, but we have more creative artists per square inch than is probably good for us. In addition we have created and are creating mental structures which are intended to be the basis for that self-confi dence, that sense of place, purpose and power without which there can be no integration of inner and outer space. (Nettleford 1995:83)
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to interrogate stereotypical images of the Caribbean holiday experience in terms of their effectiveness in enhancing the region’s global market positioning and competitiveness. By critiquing the various meanings and contestations of conventional images of the region as sites of Paradise, this chapter contends that these image constructs may be restricting opportunities to build differentiated, value-added images of the Caribbean brand. By introducing the Caribbean critique of creolisation as a differentiation strategy for the region, this chapter seeks to open up dialogue on ways of negotiating and resisting normalising and homogenising discourses, in order to build unique selling propositions and identities of the Caribbean brand in the global tourism marketplace.
