Sociology and Criminology-Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

Religion and Tourism in Trinidad

Camille Hernandez-Ramdwar

This paper will examine the way in which religions, and particularly religious festivals, are marketed as part of cultural tourism in Trinidad. The island of Trinidad is one half of a two-island state where, as the national anthem states “every creed and race find an equal place”. The primary religions evident in Trinidad are Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Spiritual Baptist, and Orisha. However, it is clear that certain religions and religious activities are considered more marketable and significant and therefore receive higher promotion, exposure and funding than others from bodies such as the Ministry of Tourism. Within a framework of content and discourse analysis and post-colonial and globalization theory, both official (state driven) and unofficial (private local and international tour operators and religious communities themselves) will be examined. The impacts of neocolonialism, political/ethnic tensions, and globalization on religious tourism will then be assessed.