At the Millennium Summit of 2000, World leaders of 189 United Nations Member States adopted the Millennium Declaration. Signatories to the Declaration agreed to work together to achieve eight (8) Millennium Development Goals, one of which is the eradication of poverty by the year 2015. Poverty is an unacceptable human condition. It is fundamentally the lack of essential human capabilities, notably literacy and nutrition and insufficient income to meet minimum comforts. Since then governments worldwide have been searching for ‘approaches’ to reduce poverty. The Central Government of Trinidad and Tobago has therefore identified the “Tourism Industry” as one area where an ‘approach’ could be found to assist in the reduction of poverty and with respect to Tobago; has delegated this responsibility to the local government arm – the Tobago House of Assembly.

In Tobago, Tourism is the largest employer and represents significant opportunities for revenue, entrepreneurship, investment, foreign exchange earnings, new export markets and employment. According to a 1997 Survey of ‘Living Conditions conducted in Tobago the Island’s poverty rate was 26.2% with a 5.6 % of all households considered destitute. The 2000 Development Plan for Tobago highlighted the Tobago House of Assembly’s intention to develop and sustain the tourism product through programmes and projects that will assist in the socio-economic development of the Country. In-spite of this Plan in 2003, 24% of the population was classified as poor and the unemployment rate was 8%. In 2007 the Tourism Industry employed approximately 60% of the island’s workforce, and while the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5%, there was still an illiteracy and poverty rate of 9.6 % and 16.5 % respectively. The big question is – Can governments reduce poverty through ‘tourism’?

This research is basically qualitative and comparative in nature – based on a review of the literature on Local Government practices in Tobago from 2000 to 2007. The paper will present the findings from an analysis of Tobago’s tourism development reports and policy documents; Statistical Digests; Surveys of Living conditions; and Tobago’s Comprehensive Development Plan 2000/2006. Particular emphasis is placed on the contribution of tourism management to reduction in poverty levels and unemployment trends; and job distribution and income generation and disbursement in manual jobs from 2000 to 2007. The Consumer Price Index was used to calculate Tobago’s Inflation Rate and the real income of employees. Interviews were conducted with selected personnel with responsibility for tourism management from the Division of Tourism and Tobago House of Assembly. The conclusion is drawn that while ‘tourism’ is Tobago’s main industry and the Island’s main employer – it can assist in the reduction of poverty, however, the Industry is quite young and if it is negatively impacted by external shocks, can seriously negate the positive outcomes.

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