This paper presents part of a study that investigates the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Tourism Industry, specifically the hotel industry. The tourism landscape is changing with greater demands for sustainable practices. Studies reveal that “consumers, both in North America and Europe, believe that a company’s commitment to social responsibility is an important consideration when they buy products or services and are keen to pay more for a product or service from companies that they see as socially responsible (Stephenson 2004). Indeed CSR and underpinning themes such as sustainability have become an area of interest for tourists (Vilar and Sastre 2014). However CSR in the tourism sector is not fully tapped in the Caribbean region but it is slowly capturing the interest of tourism stakeholders. Research in this area is critical for the design of effective sustainable tourism management policies. A successful hotel industry is contingent on sound policies that seek long term development rather than short term fixes.
This paper starts with a review of the literature, which adds more clarity and greater understanding of the CSR concept.
Primarily I will address four specific questions:
- What is CSR?
- Why is it important for the hotel sector?
- What are some practical examples of successful CSR practices in the hotel industry in the Caribbean?
- What is the way forward for this research?