Behind the smile : the working lives of Caribbean tourism

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

Behind the smile : the working lives of Caribbean tourism

George Gmelch

Indiana University Press, c2003

  • : cloth
  • : pbk

Available at  / 5 libraries

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Note

Bibliography: p. [203]-207

Includes index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

: pbk ISBN 9780253216151

Description

"Behind the Smile" is an inside look at the world of Caribbean tourism as seen through the working lives of twenty-one men and women who work in the tourist industry in Barbados. The workers come from every level of tourism, from maid to hotel manager, beach gigolo to taxi driver, red cap to diving instructor. Moving through the various sites in which "hosts" and "guests" meet - airport, hotel, beach, and tourist attractions - these highly personal accounts offer insights into complex questions surrounding tourism. The narratives touch on issues, such as how race shapes interactions between tourists and workers, how tourists may become agents of cultural change, the meaning of sexual encounters between locals and tourists, and the real economic and ecological costs of development through tourism. George Gmelch offers an engaging introduction to the history of tourism in the Caribbean and recent research on tourism, development, and cross-cultural communication. This lively book will intrigue students, scholars, and all readers interested in the social and cultural aspects of travel.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Island Tourism
  • 2. Work and Encounters in Tourism
  • 3. The Airport
  • 4. The Hotel
  • 5. The Beach
  • 6. The Attractions
  • 7. Government and Tourism
  • 8. Conclusion
Volume

: cloth ISBN 9780253342720

Description

Behind the Smile is an inside look at the world of Caribbean tourism as seen through the lives of the men and women in the tourist industry in Barbados. The workers represent every level of tourism, from maid to hotel manager, beach gigolo to taxi driver, red cap to diving instructor. These highly personal accounts offer insight into complex questions about tourism: how race shapes interactions between tourists and workers, how tourists may become agents of cultural change, the meaning of sexual encounters between locals and tourists, and the real economic and ecological costs of development through tourism. This updated edition includes several new narratives and a new chapter about American students' experiences during summer school and home stays in Barbados.

Table of Contents

  • 1. Island Tourism
  • 2. Work and Encounters in Tourism
  • 3. The Airport
  • 4. The Hotel
  • 5. The Beach
  • 6. The Attractions
  • 7. Government and Tourism
  • 8. Conclusion

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