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UNREST: Food riots hit Haiti

Haiti’s dreams of attracting tourism have been badly hit by recent food riots and a string of kidnappings, including that of a Canadian aid worker.

She was released last week.

The country, with the help and interest of bodies such as UN and the Organization of American States and Royal Caribbean cruise line, had been making moves to expand infrastructure and train hotel, restaurant and tour-company workers.

But media reports indicated that the upsurge in violence, which killed seven and injured many more in April, has forced ministers to temporarily shelve tourism proposals and plans to invite donors to put money into making Haiti a vacation spot.

Many Haitians see tourism as the route to bring in wealth to the impoverished country, especially by showcasing areas such as Haiti’s historic Citadelle Laferriere, one of the world’s most impressive mountaintop fortresses.

However, the country’s tourism industry earned less than 5 per cent of revenue gained by neighbours such as Cuba, Santo Domingo and Jamaica in 2005, according to U.N. data.

Published: 08 June 2008
Issue: 1324

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