Think about planning your dream Caribbean vacation, but instead of your dollars flowing to international hotel chains and foreign-owned resorts, your money directly supports local entrepreneurs, family-owned restaurants, and indigenous tour operators. This vision is becoming a reality thanks to the Caribbean Green Book, a revolutionary platform reshaping how travelers experience these tropical paradises while addressing long-standing economic inequities.
Reclaiming Caribbean Tourism
For decades, a troubling economic reality has plagued Caribbean tourism. According to the Caribbean Green Book’s founders, up to 90% of tourist spending leaves the region entirely, with two-thirds of hotel rooms under foreign ownership. This massive economic leakage means that despite millions of annual visitors, local communities often see minimal benefits from the tourism industry that dominates their economies.
Enter the Caribbean Green Book, a comprehensive database connecting travelers with Caribbean-owned businesses across the region. Founded by the Know Your Caribbean platform creators, this initiative represents a movement toward economic sovereignty and cultural appreciation.
The Minds Behind The Caribbean Green Book
The Caribbean Green Book emerged from the vision of two remarkable Caribbean women. Fiona Compton, a Saint Lucian photographer, artist, filmmaker, and historian, has spent over 18 years exploring the representation of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora in art and media. As the creator of Know Your Caribbean, Compton has built a platform dedicated to educating people about Caribbean history and culture through innovative approaches.
Joining her is Jadine Yarde, a business strategist and entrepreneur whose extensive experience spans the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Yarde’s background includes serving as CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority and creating tailored Caribbean experiences through her Limitless Concierge Service. Together, these visionaries have created a tool that empowers travelers to make conscious choices about where their tourism dollars go.
A New Framework For Ethical Island Travel
The Caribbean Green Book transforms vacation planning into an act of economic solidarity. Rather than simply listing attractions, it creates what the founders call “an eco-system of community and connectivity,” facilitating direct relationships between travelers and Caribbean entrepreneurs.
This approach changes where tourists spend their money and how they experience the islands. By patronizing locally owned accommodations, restaurants, tour companies, and shops, visitors gain authentic encounters with Caribbean people, customs, and traditions that might otherwise be filtered through corporate, Westernized tourism frameworks.
The platform arrives at a pivotal moment when travelers increasingly seek authentic, ethical experiences that positively impact the communities they visit. The Caribbean Green Book meets this demand while addressing historical inequities in tourism distribution.
