1. CHAPTER 7: DESTINATION CUBA AND AFRO-CENTRIC OPPORTUNITIES.
- Author
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Jayawardena, Chandana, Jones, Alberto N., and Boger, Ernest P.
- Abstract
This chapter represents the underlying document, which supported a live workshop presentation on August 7, 2002 by the second and third authors. The audience was the Historically & Predominantly Black College - Hospitality Management Consortium (HPBCU-HMC). This group also exists as a Special Interest Group (SIG) of The Council on Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Education International (I-CHRIE) and hosted this workshop in conjunction with the 57th annual CHRIE Conference at the Rosen Center, Orlando Florida, USA. The chapter proceeds through eight distinct sections, beginning with a detailing of Cuba's natural resource bounty, which qualifies the 'Pearl of the Antilles' as a true tourism treasure, then on to an expose of Cuban tourism's glory years, 1945 - 1959. The 1959 - 1989 years of Soviet strategic alliance and economic reliance are then analysed. The realization that Cuban demise led to broader Caribbean ascendance is explored. The future is assured as the current state plus yet untapped USA potential is projected. The second part of the chapter shifts gears and focuses sharply on the African American heritage market potential for Cuban tourism. Seven benchmark scenarios are presented which should resonate with today's Black-American travel market and provide a springboard for market development. A closing note is made of the opportunity for Afro-Americans and Afro-Cubans to collaborate for mutual financial gain in the overall tourism development process while 'ground floor' opportunities still exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005