Dominica’s tourism sector is among those examined in a new International Labour Organization study calling for better working conditions and more support to help small businesses move into the formal economy.
The study, “Informality in the tourism sector in the Eastern Caribbean,” covers Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada and Saint Lucia. It argues that efforts to improve productivity, create decent work and reduce informality should advance together.
The ILO says tourism contributes an average of 39 per cent of GDP and more than 11 per cent of total employment across the Eastern Caribbean countries discussed in its announcement. These are regional averages, not figures for Dominica alone.
According to the study, tourism workers and businesses can face overlapping barriers, including limited access to financing, skills mismatches, gaps in social protection and difficulties enforcing labour regulations.
Seasonal demand and exposure to climate shocks can also make it harder for smaller operators to invest and maintain formal operations.
For Dominica, the findings point to the need for approaches suited to different types of tourism businesses. A small operator earning enough to get by may need different support from an enterprise seeking to expand. The ILO says gradual, practical steps can make formalization more achievable while improving working conditions.
The study recommends better access to finance and skills training for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, wider social protection coverage, stronger labour compliance and cooperation among governments, employers and workers.
“The challenge is not simply to reduce informality, but to transform tourism into a genuine platform for decent work, productive development and social inclusion,” said Ana Virginia Moreira Gomes, the ILO’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The study does not announce a new programme for Dominica. The ILO says it will work with governments and employers’ and workers’ organisations to put its recommendations into practice.
Full report: https://www.ilo.org/publications/informality-tourism-sector-eastern-caribbean
