The first biological control project in Cuba concerned the introduction of the parasitoid Eretmocerus serius in 1929, resulting in successful classical biocontrol of citrus blackfly in citrus. The subsequent biocontrol success that is still in use on large areas today was obtained in the 1940s by...

This chapter outlines appropriate tourism planning and development strategies for island environments and discusses the issues and challenges with these to suggest paths for tourism development success. The case of Cuba is considered, regarding its transition and plans for tourism, as the country...

This chapter sheds light on the characteristics that determine the demand for island tourism, by assessing the motivational and economic aspects of tourists choosing to visit island destinations. The chapter focuses on the various demand models that are suitable for islands that are smaller in size ...

This chapter discusses the potential for Cuba, despite decades of tension and conflict with the Catholic Church, as a destination for religious tourism. The chapter explores not only the limitations and dichotomies of authenticity but also the roots of religion, tourism and politics. While social...

This chapter questions the use of sustainability discourses in urban agriculture projects, with a comparative study of Austin, Texas and La Habana, Cuba. Faced with a food security crisis in the 1990s, Cuba turned to a diversified and mostly organic agricultural system in order to feed its...

This chapter intends to use the case of Cuba and its tourism status to provide preliminary support for the contention that the constructs of quality of life (QOL), the tourism area life cycle (TALC) and sustainability are intertwined. After briefly exploring the background of each construct and any ...

The first part of this chapter introduces the reader to a potential mechanism that can improve the way volunteer tourism projects are established and evaluated with local communities: The 2008 Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC). These guidelines brought together over 40 of the world's...

In Cuba, 388 plant species were previously reported as toxic, 28 of these are endemic, and grouped into 260 genera from 98 families. This chapter describes some plants affecting the cardio-circulatory system and those causing hepatotoxicity/photodermatitis in animals including livestock and in...

This chapter describes the protected areas in Cuba, and explores the ecotourism industry in the country in terms of the opportunities for its development as well as the obstacles. It is established that a focus on sustainability in tourism can help prevent degradation of the areas and the loss of...

This chapter presents results from empirical research conducted in Cuba on the informal encounters between tourists and locals (jineteros) and on the multiple ways in which the latter use nationality-talks as a resource in their daily encounters with tourists. Its aim is to show how research on...