Editorial:
What happened to the tourists?
During the 1950s through the 1970s, Haiti
was a major tourist destination in the Caribbean. Many times
weekly, cruise boats would anchor in Port-au-Prince allowing
visitors to admire the Roman Cathedral, The National Palace,
and The Iron Market among other sites. At their leisure, they
could select paintings and hand crafted sculptures to bring
back as souvenirs. Visitors who spent more days would get a
chance to travel to Cap-Haitien, Jacmel or sunbathe for lazy
days on a choice of delightful beaches...
Tourism in those days represented
a measurable portion of national revenue while providing ample
work for tour guides, drivers, artists, craftsmen and ample
business to the art dealers. Over the past two decades, Haiti’s
tourism industry has seriously dwindled. There’s no question
that the violent events of the post-Duvalier era have kept
many away. Additionally, the country has received more than
its share of bad press. What with the AIDS stigma, being constantly
labeled the “poorest country of the Western Hemisphere” and
stereotypes about vaudou. But now, 13 years removed from the
last coup d’etat, 10 years since the restoration of democratic
rule and more global acceptance of cultural differences, the
tourists do not seem to have returned.
 Surely
enough, Haiti is still a major attraction in the Caribbean
but it is handled differently by the travel industry. Among
a score of Caribbean tourist guides surveyed, we were stunned
to find that most of them completely ignored the third largest
country in the Caribbean as a possible destination. A few
more devoted a page or two but mostly to discourage any one
to go there now. Only one Caribbean guide had a fair and objective
coverage of Haiti. The oguide is
ritten by Sarah Cameron, a scholar in Latin American Studies,
a frequent traveler and frequent contributer to many travel
magazines. Her treatment was as precise and commanding as
her understanding of Haitian customs and way of life. One
passage states…In going city by city and locale by locale,
Ms.Cameron specifies the do’s and don’ts in a prose that denotes
her well-traveled resume. In fact the guide
is a much acclaimed, thorough and informed treatment of the
Caribbean in general that positions itself away from cheerleaders
and detractors alike.
 Now,
what of the tourists themselves? Ironically, many travelers
still get to visit Haiti without really knowing where they
are. For example, Royal Caribbean Cruise line boats bring
as many as 10,000 visitors monthly to the Labadie enclave
near Cap-Haitien. Likewise, several times a week, German
tourists are driven over the Haiti-Dominican Republic border
for one-day excursions to Sans Souci and The Citadelle Laferriere.
Again they are not exactly told where they are.
Clearly, the tourist industry
needs revamping. In a Miami Herald supplement dated of October
1, 1999, Maryse Penette the Secretary of State for Tourism
mentions that one of their goals is to multiply the 1600 hotel
rooms available in the country by a factor of ten over the
medium term. “We want to be specific and upmarket. Our master
plan is rooted in our cultural and natural assets.” According
to Ms Penette, three areas have been targeted for optimum
development, and international consortia have made funds available
for those projects. To receive attention are the North East,
the beach and colonial region extending north of Port-au-Prince
up to St-Marc and the region of Jacmel, a 17th century seaport
that has not lost any of its appeal over the years.
Our purpose then in this section
is to showcase various regions of the country. We promise
a detailed and objective account. Let us then go to Haiti
and see for ourselves what it has to offer.
For questions
or comments about this article, please contact us
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