Doctoral Dissertation Research: Post-Colonial Linkages Between Agriculture and Tourism in Martinique

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

Although developing nations frequently focus on natural settings when promoting tourism as a central facet of their overall economic development strategies, a number of nations recently have given attention to the possible attraction that agriculture and other forms of economic activity may constitute for visitors. Within the French dependencies of Guadeloupe, Matrinique, and Guyana, French government investments in infrastructure, medical facilities, commercial activities, and other sectors have recently been complemented by development of a local, "bottom-up" approach for expanding tourism associated with local agricultural activities. This doctoral dissertation research project will examine the political, economic, and cultural changes that are taking place in current development programs linking tourism and agriculture in Martinique. The project will examine not only the tourists and their impact on the island's agricultural economy but also the perceptions and responses of local residents to agro-tourism development. The project will consist of data collection through the use of questionnaires, intercept surveys, in-depth interviews, and participant observations. The doctoral candidate also will work with a range of voluntary participants, including local, regional and national policy makers, food distributors, tourists and farmers. This research project should enhance understandings of the complex interdependencies that exist within the continually evolving and increasingly related industries of agriculture and tourism. Questions regarding local identity, tourist food preferences, and forms of development will be among the main concerns for which this research will provide answers. By employing a geographic perspective in this study, the student will shed new light on many complex questions associated with this type of sustainable rural development, using the case study to address the potential and consequences of agro-tourism in the region and elsewhere. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.