TITLE:
Rapid Assessment of Tourism Impacts through Community Participation—A Pilot Study in Cuba for Projecting New Strategies of Management
AUTHORS:
Manuel Ramón Gonzále Herrera, Mabel Font Aranda
KEYWORDS:
Tourism; Impacts; Community; Participation; Cuba
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.1 No.3,
August
29,
2013
ABSTRACT: The report of the Rapid Assessment of tourism impacts through community participation is presented, based on a pilot study in Cuba to project new strategies of management. The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology to identify how tourism affects social organization in communities, in order to consider different policy implications and management options, at the same time, to conduct comparative studies to monitor vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of social and health-promoting policies. This project brings together researchers and community representatives from Cárdenas and Caibarién, two coastal communities in Cuba, to examine how the expansion of tourism in these communities directly and/or indirectly affects them. In relation to the general objective a conceptual framework is elaborated to explain pathways that link the impacts of tourism and the policies that influence them across their lifespan. A consensus is developed on indicators and research/measurement protocols based on a comprehensive review of existing evidence on these issues. A preliminary agreement is also promoted according to the policy implications and policy options of insights that can be gained regarding the impacts of tourism on local communities among policy-makers, researchers and community leaders.