Grand Cayman Island and the Resort Cycle Concept

Abstract

Butler's model of cyclical tourism development (exploration, involvement, develop ment, consolidation, stagnation, and either rejuvenation, stability, or decline) is applied empirically to Grand Cayman Island, which to date largely conforms to the stages of the model. A significant deviation isfound with respect to local versus non-local control; owing to several factors, local participation seems to have increased rather than decreased in the development stage. Weaver's resort-cycle model is also applied, and a contrast is made between tourism. development on Grand Cayman Island (a nonplantation culture) and Antigua (a plantation culture), where external control has been maintained during the development stage. Long-term stability is predicted for tourism on Grand Cayman Island; social, economic, and environmental stresses building in Antigua may lead to the decline stage for tourism on that island.