‘BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH HAITI’:

BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH

HAITIAN ALLEGORY OF THE

TOURISM INDUSTRY IN HAITI

Dr Hugues SERAPHIN

Lecturer in Event Management and Marketing(The University of Winchester)

Associate researcher CREDDI-LEAD 2438 Guyane

Hugues.seraphin@winchester.ac.uk

PhD PGCE MA

International Conference on Literature and Tourism

Faculdade de Letras Da Universidade De Lisboa26-27 November 2012

HAITI

BONJOUR BLANC

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. HAITI: AN OVERVIEW

3. BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH HAITI: A GOOD TRAVEL WRITTING

4. BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH HAITI: A MARKETING TOOL

5. CONCLUSION

1. INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’ is the tale of a life experience. It has therefore a witness value and thus is trustworthy (De Ascaniis & Grecco-Marasso, 2011)

Many of the persons, situations, actions and places mentioned by Ian Thomson suggest or represent other meanings. They are symbols (Perrine, 1974)

Our main objective in this paper is to identify those symbols and also the messages Thomson is implicitly trying to convey

2. HAITI: AN OVERVIEW

2.1) Environmental overview of Haiti

2.2)The tourism sector in Haiti

Fragile state:Lack of political will/capacity to provide: Basic functions needed for poverty reduction and development Safeguard human rights of the populationPublic services

Haiti was once the richest French colony. Haiti was even called the ‘Pearl of the Antilles’ (Séraphin, 2011). Nowadays, Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world (Roc, 2008).

Vulnerable state:Public policiesEconomy Shaped by external forces

(Moita, Gautier, 2010)

ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEW

TOURISM SECTOR

Political stability Country image

Intention to visit

Political instability

+ +

- -

-

(Hai & Chick, 2011)

3. ‘BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH

HAITI’: A GOOD TRAVEL

WRITING 3.1) Presentation of ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’

3.2)Presentation of the tourism sector in Haiti via ‘Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’

BONJOUR BLANC...

Ian Thomson = TintinReporter/journalistVisited destinations with military dictatorshipJourney fraught with problems/accidentsDetailed information about the destination visited

Ian Thomson’s journey:Description of tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, transport, etc.Interacting with localsHistory of Haiti

‘Bonjour blanc’ = Grand TourIan Thomson = Samuel Johnson (Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia)

BONJOUR BLANC...

Bonjour blanc: A good travel writing

Weaves a lot of information Arise the reader emotions and energyProvides a vivid insight of the countryLife is relatively in balance, with disasterOpposing forcesFundamental conflicts between subjective expectation and cruel reality Looking behind the maskIdentity of the main protagonist

(Woodside & Megehee, 2010)

+

Be a useful tool for the DMO

BONJOUR BLANC...TOURISM IN

HAITI

(Thomson, 2004) (Cooper et al., 2005)

Accommodation / Restaurants / Transports / Attractions / Events / Consumer

BONJOUR BLANC...TOURISM IN

HAITI

Accommodation + RestaurantsInappropriateAmateur sector

TransportNot organisedVery dangerous

Attractions Rich heritage

Relationship locals/visitorsBenefits only for touristsNot a natural relationship

SYMBOLS (1)

Archetype Travel writing gist Examples

The reed Strong, flexible, adaptable The Oloffson (microcosm of the overall tourism sector in Haiti)

The anti-hero Destruction and attraction of evil Haitian government

Powerbroker Authority, influence and domination The USA, the media, NGO

Archetype Travel writing gist Examples

SYMBOLS (3)

The mother-of-

goodness

Nourishment The cruise sector (with the resort Labadee)

The enigma Mystery, suspense and uncertainly

Are they tourists? journalists, aid workers, military personnel, documentary film-makers, art collectors, and up-market literary travellersTourism sector profitable for the locals?

The loyalist Trust, loyalty and reassurance Barbancourt rumPrestige beer

The little

trickster

Humour, non-conformity and the element of surprise

The relationship local/visitor

The creator Creative inspiration The Haitians

The siren Power of attraction, linked with the possibility of destruction

Attractions in Haïti (Citadelle la Ferrière, Le Marche de Fer, Jacmel, etc.).

Archetype Travel writing gist Examples

SYMBOLS (4)

4. BONJOUR BLANC

A MARKETING TOOL

4.1) Travel writing: An influencing tool

4.2)Bonjour blanc: A SIT product

Williams and Zelinsky (1970) have identified several factors that may explain why people decide to go or not to a destination. Among these are: Information fed back to people in the generating country from tourists who have made previous visits to the destination country

Literary tourism

There is a fascination about places associated with writers that has often prompted readers to become pilgrims.

(Eagle & Carnell, 1977)

MARKETING

5. CONCLUSION

Bonjour blanc, a journey through Haiti’ includes some very strong symbols that are either places (i.e. the Hotel Oloffson), chapters (i.e. chapter 6: ‘Marooned in Jacmel’), products (i.e.: Barbancourt rum) or people (i.e. Enoch, the tourist guide), etc. All those explain why Thomson’s travel writing can be compared to an allegory of the tourism sector in Haiti. This travel writing can also be used as a marketing tool by the DMO to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the destination. In term of image Haiti has a huge deficit that needs to be addressed. It is therefore very important for Haiti to take ownership or control of its image via a marketing strategy, as a strategic management approach for dealing with tourism crises is the key to speedy recovery (Hai & Chick, 2011)

CONCLUSION

BONJOUR BLANC, A JOURNEY THROUGH

HAITIAN ALLEGORY OF THE

TOURISM INDUSTRY IN HAITI

Dr Hugues SERAPHIN

Lecturer in Event Management and Marketing(The University of Winchester)

Associate researcher CREDDI-LEAD 2438 Guyane

Hugues.seraphin@winchester.ac.uk

PhD PGCE MA

International Conference on Literature and Tourism

Faculdade de Letras Da Universidade De Lisboa26-27 November 2012

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

ANY QUESTION?