ABSTRACT
The phenomenal growth of modern-day cruise tourism – passenger numbers increased more than 40-fold globally between 1970 and 2018 – has been built on a combination of unique factors that have made it the most profitable sector in the tourism industry. However, the picture is not always so rosy for the port destinations as it is for the cruise corporations. This book seeks to provide a holistic picture of the cruise industry’s business operations and its social, environmental, and economic impacts on destinations in the Caribbean. Based on this analysis, this concluding chapter outlines how ports of call can better assess the costs and benefits of cruise tourism and determine more equitable and sustainable terms of engagement. In this final chapter, I summarize the key findings and lessons learned from the analysis of cruise tourism and then provide a series of recommendations for reforms. While these recommendations are geared to countries in the Caribbean, many are applicable for other cruise destinations, as well.
