Behind the Smile is an inside look at the world of Caribbean tourism as seen through the working lives of twenty-one
men and women who work in the tourist industry in Barbados. The workers come from every level of tourism, from
maid to hotel manager, beach gigolo to taxi driver, red cap to diving instructor. Moving through the various sites
in which "hosts" and "guests" meet -- airport, hotel, beach, and tourist attractions -- these
highly personal accounts offer insight into complex questions surrounding tourism. The narratives touch on issues
such as how race shapes interactions between tourists and workers, how tourists may become agents of cultural change,
the meaning of sexual encounters between locals and tourists, and the real economic and ecological costs of development
through tourism. George Gmelch offers an engaging introduction to the history of tourism in the Caribbean and recent
research on tourism, development, and cross-cultural communication. This lively book will intrigue students, scholars,
and all readers interested in the social and cultural aspects of travel.