28764: Re: 28755: Nekita (Comments) on post about college students and Haiti's tourism (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: tjpershing@aol.com

Looking at developing Haitian tourism (or any other economic sector) can 
benefit from the common development patterns in many US cities, where artists 
and low end business people ( small restaurants, galleries, beauty parlors 
etc.) move into blighted areas and lead to the gradual interest and 
understanding of these area's charms and capabilities. I think of when I took a 
loft in Jersey City and my NYC friends made cracks like "do I need a passport 
to get there". Fifteen years later it is hot real estate.

along these lines, I know of one art foundation in Jacmel, FOSAJ, that is 
offering artist in residence programs for fine artists, with great studio space 
and a nice apartment to live in. Places like FOSAJ, non-profit and always 
living at the edge of going under, need support from the Haitian american 
community, in part because they already are an economic force on the ground (no 
need to re-invent the wheel) and also because they are the core for a re-birth 
in Haitian tourism, of which Haitian culture is a primary draw.

It would also be worth while to approach traditionally black universities and 
approprite student unions in other universities to promote travel to Haiti over 
spring break with a eye towards more than the traditional spring break fare, 
like some powerful cultural history and real world realities, while still 
promoting the great times to be had at Haiti's beaches, in her mountains and 
among her people.

Tim