Unpacked: A History of Caribbean Tourism (Histories and Cultures of Tourism) - Hardcover

Scott, Blake C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1501766406 ISBN 13: 9781501766404

Publisher: Cornell University Press, 2022

Synopsis

Unpacked offers a critical, novel perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a tourist's paradise. Dreams of a tropical vacation have become a quintessential aspect of the modern Caribbean, as millions of tourists travel to the region and spend extravagantly to pursue vacation fantasies. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, travelers from North America and Europe thought of the Caribbean as diseased, dangerous, and, according to many observers, "the white man's graveyard." How then did a trip to the Caribbean become a supposedly fun and safe experience?

Unpacked examines the historical roots of the region's tourism industry by following a well-traveled sea route linking the US East Coast with the island of Cuba and the Isthmus of Panama. Blake C. Scott describes how the cultural and material history of US imperialism became the heart of modern Caribbean tourism. In addition, he explores how advances in tropical medicine, perceptions of the tropical environment, and development of infrastructure and transportation networks opened a new playground for visitors.

About this title

About the Author

Blake C. Scott is an historian and Assistant Professor of International Studies at the College of Charleston.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1501766406
• ISBN 13: 9781501766404
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 258