Behind the Smile

George Gmelch deftly fills in the background on Caribbean tourism and quickly gets to the oral histories that make up the bulk of his story. From airport employees to hotel managers to dive shop owners and tour guides, 21 workers from Barbados provide first-hand accounts of what it means to them and to their society to be reliant on tourism. Gmelch raises issues such as how race shapes interactions between "hosts" and "guests, " the meaning of sexual encounters between locals and tourists, and how North American and European tourists are variously perceived. While there are drawbacks to working in the tourist industry, Gmelch's subjects report a high degree of satisfaction with their jobs. This volume will intrigue readers interested in the social and cultural aspects of travel.