The Land Remembers: Tourism, Legacy, and the Haitian Future

Overview: This episode note summarizes the key points raised by Guerline T. Emmanuel, founder of Bellevue Tours, regarding the state of tourism in Haiti, the role of the Haitian diaspora, the challenges of development, and the importance of a common-sense approach to engagement with the country. Emmanuel is presented as a passionate advocate for Haiti, particularly frustrated by the lack of progress and the disconnect between the diaspora’s intentions and the reality on the ground.

Key Themes and Ideas:

1. The Potential and Underdevelopment of Haitian Tourism:

• Huge Untapped Potential: Emmanuel strongly believes Haiti possesses immense potential for a thriving tourism industry. She argues that the country should have hundreds, if not close to 2000, tour companies, bringing millions of visitors and significantly contributing to the GDP (6-10% or more).
• Failure to Capitalize: The current situation with less than 50 tour companies is seen as a failure. Emmanuel emphasizes that in a thriving economy, such a small number would be unacceptable.
• Tourism’s Positive Impact: Beyond direct revenue, tourism supports various sectors like agriculture (local food consumption), transportation (bus companies), and local businesses (hotels, restaurants). She cites examples like the D& Blanc event which utilized many local businesses and injected money into the economy.
• Global Examples: Emmanuel contrasts Haiti’s situation with countries like New York, China, Brazil, and New Orleans, highlighting how heavily these places invest in and benefit from tourism.
• Quote: “For me, we are failing if we have less than a couple hundred tour companies, we are failing. We are a country who need hundreds, if not close 2000 of tour company doing what we are doing.”
• Quote: “Your tour industry, your touristic industry support agriculture. So people will be consuming food in Haiti, so will be buying food in Haiti. You’ll be able to impact the agriculture in Haiti, transportation, the tour companies.”

2. Bellevue Tours’ Business Model and Approach:

• Experience and Research: Bellevue Tours has been operating for 12 years, conducting three years of extensive research before their first tour. This research focused on understanding the existing landscape and identifying partners.
• Partnership Model: Instead of owning assets like buses, Bellevue Tours partners with existing businesses and operators on the ground in Haiti. ViaGen is mentioned as a key partner.
• Focus on Groups: They primarily cater to groups of 10 or more.
• On-the-Ground Due Diligence: A crucial aspect of their process is visiting and vetting every location and service provider before including it in a tour. They conduct site visits to assess logistical challenges and ensure the suitability of locations, even if they are listed in official tourism brochures.
• Investing in Research: Emmanuel highlights their investment in research and legwork to understand the reality of the terrain and service quality, rather than relying solely on remote information.
• Supporting Local Businesses: They prioritize working with Haitian-owned businesses, particularly in rural areas, where hotels and restaurants are often mom-and-pop operations, ensuring money directly impacts the local economy.
• Quote: “Our business model is basically working with others that are on the ground in the industry already, and we partner with them.”
• Quote: “There isn’t a tour that we have done. We don’t go and visit the place first to see if it’s someplace we could bring you. We visit the sites, we do the research, we do the legwork. We invest in the research part, because I can’t find it sitting here.”

3. Critiquing the Diaspora’s Engagement with Haiti:

• Verbal Pride vs. Action: Emmanuel expresses frustration with the Haitian diaspora, suggesting they use Haiti as a source of verbal pride but often lack concrete action or engagement with the country.
• Disconnectedness and Lack of Understanding: A significant issue is the diaspora’s lack of understanding of the reality on the ground in Haiti. Many offer solutions without ever having been to the country or conducting adequate research.
• “American Stamp” and Imposing Ideas: There’s a tendency for the diaspora to want to impose their “American stamp” or ideas based on their experiences abroad, without acknowledging Haiti’s distinct culture, history, and existing structures.
• Taking the Place of Government: The diaspora often attempts to fill the void left by an underperforming government, rather than focusing on how to support and strengthen existing (albeit fragile) government entities.
• Not-for-Profit Basket Case: Emmanuel criticizes the tendency to view Haiti primarily as a “not-for-profit basket case” requiring only aid and donation, arguing that this hinders development.
• Hypocrisy Regarding Rule of Law: A major point of frustration is the perceived hypocrisy of diaspora members who demand rule of law and stability in their adopted countries (like the US) but tolerate or even advocate for chaos and a disregard for legal processes in Haiti.
• “Soft Bigotry of Low Expectation”: This phrase is used to describe the lower standards applied to Haiti compared to other countries, particularly regarding governance and the rule of law.
• Quote: “We use Haiti. As a avenue of pride verbally, and then that’s it. If we are honest with each other, if we wanna be honest with each other.”
• Quote: “I cannot come to Haiti and want to in input my American stamp in Haiti because Haiti, even though I’m outside of Haiti, I’m Haitian. I grew up predominantly here, Haiti. I have a culture, I have a history.”
• Quote: “I have a big problem with, is that we all see Haiti as a, as a not-for-profit basket case area. To assist. No country developed by, not-for-profit only.”
• Quote: “You ask for rule of law here and then you have for chaos at home. That’s a hypocrisy that I cannot deal with.”

4. The Importance of Government and Local Structures:

• Government’s Essential Role: Emmanuel emphasizes that certain functions, such as providing basic protection and establishing a foundation for development, are the inherent role of the government. She argues that individuals and businesses cannot fully compensate for the government’s shortcomings.
• Understanding Existing Structures: Despite perceived fragility, government entities (like local mayors, disaster response units) exist. The diaspora should seek to understand how these structures function and how they can work with them, rather than replacing them.
• Decentralization is Crucial: The over-centralization of power and resources in Port-au-Prince is a major impediment. Emmanuel uses the example of earthquake relief, highlighting the inefficiency of relying on Port-au-Prince when resources and expertise might be closer to the affected areas. Developing and empowering regional centers is essential.
• Moving Beyond Port-au-Prince: Haiti should not be viewed as a monolithic entity. The diaspora needs to understand the different regions and their specific needs and realities.
• Quote: “What is your role as a citizen and what is the role of your government? Because you, what is lacking in your government that they need to show up so that you as the citizen can engage and be successful?”
• Quote: “The perception is that we have a democracy and you have different depart, okay? The reality is you are in the Republic of Haiti where one central department that is the gatekeeper of everything.”

5. Investment vs. Donation:

• Tired of Donating: Emmanuel is weary of the constant emphasis on donation as the primary mode of engagement for the diaspora. She argues that years of donating have not led to improvement, suggesting it’s a failed strategy for meaningful change.
• Need for Investment: She advocates for investment in Haitian businesses and industries, emphasizing the diaspora’s desire for generational wealth and economic participation.
• Quote: “Why are we always donating? Why are we always donating? We have to ask ourselves what’s wrong with other people coming into our country? Investing in our country, but when it come to the Jasper hour, we are giving them the opportunity to donate.”
• Quote: “I am tired of donating. Donating will take us far. We have been donating for years and we have gotten worse. So if we are looking at our return on donating, it’s a failure.”

6. The Role and Navigating of Gatekeepers:

• Purpose of Gatekeepers: Gatekeepers often emerge because of the diaspora’s disconnection from the ground reality. They can facilitate access and navigation.
• Potential Pitfalls: Emmanuel warns that gatekeepers have their own agendas, which may not always align with the investor’s or the country’s best interests.
• Need for Due Diligence: It is crucial for individuals to conduct their own research and due diligence to understand the terrain and the areas they wish to impact, reducing their reliance on gatekeepers.
• Not Always Bad: Gatekeepers aren’t inherently negative, but relying solely on them without independent understanding cedes control and increases vulnerability.
• Refusal to be Told “You Cannot”: Emmanuel firmly rejects the idea that gatekeepers have the right to tell diaspora members they cannot do something in Haiti, especially when foreigners are actively operating there.
• Quote: “Your gatekeepers is because you are disconnected is because you don’t know the lay of the land. You don’t know the country, you don’t know the areas that you want to impact. So your gatekeepers make it easy for you, but you have to understand that everyone have an agenda.”
• Quote: “Gatekeepers are not always a hundred percent bad. But the one thing that I refuse for someone to do for me is to tell me that, oh, I’m able to do something in Haiti because no, what give you that? Right? You don’t have that right.”

7. Civic Responsibility:

• New Focus: Emmanuel mentions her new focus on “civic response,” aiming to find ways to interact with Haiti in a civically responsible manner, applying her knowledge and experience to assist and work with people in Haiti.

Most Important Facts and Ideas:

• Haiti’s tourism potential is vastly underdeveloped.
• The current state of the tourism industry is seen as a failure.
• Tourism has significant ripple effects on other sectors like agriculture and transportation.
• Bellevue Tours’ success is attributed to extensive research, partnership with local businesses, and on-the-ground vetting.
• A key criticism of the diaspora is the disconnect between verbal pride and concrete action/understanding of Haiti’s reality.
• The diaspora often attempts to replace government functions instead of supporting existing structures.
• Viewing Haiti as a “not-for-profit basket case” is detrimental to development.
• There is a perceived hypocrisy in demanding rule of law abroad but accepting chaos in Haiti.
• Decentralization and empowering regional areas outside of Port-au-Prince are essential for development.
• Investment, not just donation, is crucial for sustainable change.
• While gatekeepers can be helpful, individuals need to do their own research and be aware of potential conflicting agendas.

This briefing document summarizes the core arguments and perspectives of Guerline T. Emmanuel as presented in the provided excerpts. Her passionate advocacy for a more informed, engaged, and investment-focused approach from the Haitian diaspora, coupled with a realistic understanding of Haiti’s challenges and existing structures, forms the basis of her message.