Dr. Robertico Croes, associate dean of administration and finance for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, and Dr. Manuel Rivera are the authors of a new book, “Poverty Alleviation through Tourism Development,” which offers insight on how tourism can be used to effectively fight poverty.
The United Nations established eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2002, one of which called to cut extreme poverty in half by 2015. The question of how tourism can aid in this effort prompted an invitation to Dr. Croes and Dr. Rivera to provide answers in this book.
The authors draw on a decade of empirical research on Latin America to demonstrate tourism’s impact on growth, inequality and poverty reduction. They also address how the poor perceive tourism development in their lives and view it as a critical means to escaping poverty. In addition, the book offers guidance on how tourism can reach the poor and create opportunities for impoverished areas and their residents.
Although the authors focus on Latin American economies as examples, the same principles can be applied to countries throughout the world. Earlier this year, Dr. Croes proposed tourism expansion as a way for struggling Puerto Rico to tackle its debt crisis.
The book is now available for purchase from Apple Academic Press.
Learn more about hospitality management education at Rosen College.