Through recession and sluggish rates of travel in the early 2000s, tourism continues to dominate the economies of many developing countries in the Caribbean. In an effort to sustain this economy, the Caribbean Tourism Human Resource Council and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Educational Reform Unit have developed the Caribbean Tourism Learning System, a cooperative project of numerous universities throughout the region that specialize in hospitality studies. The project was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and the Caribbean Program for Economic Competitiveness.
All aspects of tourism trade, from culinary arts to resort management, are emphasized in various associate degree programs developed and monitored by the Caribbean Tourism Learning System. The aim is to create competitiveness and mutual sustainability throughout the Caribbean region. Although each island may have distinct aspects to market to tourists, the core curriculum focuses on marketing concepts that comodify the region to fulfill the expectations of foreign tourists.
To monitor the growth and health of the tourism industry throughout the region and for individual countries, human resources are viewed as a gross domestic product, much in the way that sugar beet exports can be viewed in terms of income produced by their export. In terms of tourism, resorts seek to bring in foreign capital through fulfillment of a homogenized view of the resort experience, much of which relies heavily on hospitality services. Competitiveness, therefore, relies heavily on the success of tourism studies programs to develop a skilled hospitality labor pool.
As growth and development continues in the region, many tourists may find a more difficult time fulfilling their expectations of experiencing an "exotic" locale. Marketing resorts to a broad view of American and European expectations may eventually alienate travelers. Countries that have minimal economic growth may experience issues involved with increased consumption, including crime and inflation. According to HuntingtonNews.net, Caribbean countries suffer a murder rate four times that of America. Studies conducted by the United Nations have determined that reducing crime rates in the region could lead to a dramatic increase in GDP for these countries. For resorts and Caribbean governments hoping to continue development, maintaining the balance between competitiveness and growth may be essential for the success of the tourism industry as long as tourism growth does not undermine the economic self-determination of Caribbean citizens.