Saint Lucia: the Pitons and environs
Score: 60

"The Pitons are a unique attribute of the Caribbean with a mixed record in terms of tourism sustainability. There are some beautiful unspoiled beaches right in their shadows, but nearby there are poorly concocted tourism ventures and many of the very poor locals trying to get their piece of the large amount of tourism revenue entering the island. Perhaps most disturbing to me is the isolation (or apartheid) of many of the visitors to this island. It seems that many spend their time in tourist enclaves and not interacting much with the local culture."

"The Pitons Management Area suffers from the same overdevelopment and resource use conflict problems as many WH sites. The environmental quality is still relatively OK in the Pitons, and Soufriere marine park is well-managed, but mass tourism is gaining ground in the area and new construction is continuously being erected. Tourism benefits local communities to a certain extent, but more could be done to share the benefits equally. Tourists are currently not informed in regards to the WH value of the site and how their activities impact the site."

"Sand mining on the beaches seems now to be under control, and the mangroves seem to be coming back, but the number and diversity of the bird population seems to be in decline. Insects and treefrogs still put up a good wall of sound. The universal veneer of international corporations has not totally killed local culture, but its presence is evident in Soufriere."

"Foreign real estate investment is the fly in the ointment. Villas are available for less than a single family home in Florida, and it will not be too long before this becomes well-known in the U.S. I expect to see the American baby boomers investing soon."

"Some of the local restaurants only employ local village women and are rumored to have two sets of prices, one for local and one for tourists. This allows locals to mingle with visitors and encourages fleeting friendships to occur. Village markets also encourage this cultural exchange. Visitors need to know how not to push the price of food down too much (something I learned the hard way)."

"The future of sustainable tourism is looking better since the creation of the marine reserve, the work of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries actively promoting the regeneration of mangroves, the development of the Pitons Management Area and Jurassic Coast site, and the designation as a World Heritage site. Ecotourism, agritourism and adventure tourism has room to expand, perhaps with the assistance of educational programs and small business incubators."