Ethical Concerns in Vanuatu's Tourism Industry: A Hospitality Analysis

This essay analyzes the ethical issues present in Vanuatu's tourism industry, as highlighted in the 'Broken Dream' video. The core problem identified is discrimination, where locals lack access to facilities and benefits enjoyed by tourists, including basic amenities like proper sanitation and financial transparency. The essay critiques the lack of local involvement in financial decisions and the prevalence of corruption, leading to the mismanagement of funds and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. The essay specifically criticizes P O cruises for their lack of social responsibility and suggests ways to improve the situation, including government intervention to curb corruption, enforce ethical practices, and ensure that the local community benefits from tourism. Recommendations include government accountability, investment in education and financial institutions, and involvement of locals in decision-making processes to foster a more equitable and sustainable tourism model. The author uses multiple references to support their arguments.

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Hospitality and Tourism
The ethical issue presented in Vanuatu's broken dream video includes discrimination. The locals
have no access to the facilities that have been set up by foreigners, unlike the tourists. They
cannot access the toilets that are in a good state. The toilets with showers are only meant for the
tourists. They are closed as soon as the tourist leaves the island. The local leaders such as chiefs
are not involved in deciding how they want the money to be spent or how much was collected.
Their opinion is not sorted out concerning how the locals expect the income to be used. They are
not aware of who is answerable on the income received in Islanders (Belloc, 2007). Theft is a
usual thing. The locals who do business around the island cannot pinpoint where their money
goes.
There is dishonesty and distrust among the farmers since they do not have knowledge of how
money comes in and out and who really spend the cash. They cannot trust themselves or the
leaders. There is no clear evidence on who should be blamed for the poor state of the island. The
locals do not benefit from foreign exchange as they continue to live in poverty while their leaders
are becoming richer as the day goes by. The politicians are living luxurious lifestyles that they
finance with income from the tourists. The governing issues evident are corruption and fall in the
economy (Bobbitt and Sullivan, 2005). The incomes from foreigners are mishandled by
politicians in their favor and greed. Poverty level has risen up due to failure by the leaders to
invest the income from the tourists. There is no policy in this case that has been put in place to
curb the misuse of incomes (Foley, 2009). There is no knowledge and evidence of direct
receiving of dollars to the ultimate use in investment. Thus, the locals do not benefit at all from
the tourists.

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P O cruises did not act ethically since they have done nothing to benefit the locals. They have
access to a good facility such as toilet with showers as well as the clean flow of water. On the
contrary, the Islanders do not have such good toilets they depend on rain for water. Islanders do
not have gas for cooking nor good houses for their shelter (Ford, Sturman and Heaton, 2012).
They live in tiny rooms from grandparents up to the third generation. P O cruises do not seem to
care about the interest of the community as well as their living conditions. The community lives
in vulnerable conditions. The cruises should be concerned with the conditions of the locals. With
their capacity, they can set up good houses and improve the sanitation of the locals. They can as
well come up with recreation facilities for the locals so that they can be able to unwind. They
should appreciate the Islanders for welcoming them. P.O cruises should pay anchorage and
landing fee to the locals which could have been used in improving the lives of islanders. They
should also pay the people a fee for showing off tourist attraction sites. The P O cruises should at
least donate to set up facilities for the local (Goodwin, Gaston and Goodwin, 2007). They should
consider the state of the community in terms of sanitation and ensure the locals can access water,
health and good shelter. They should not forget that they have a role as their social responsibility
for the Islanders. As much as they benefit from Vanuatu, they should allow the locals to also
benefit from them through setting up good houses and toilets for the locals.
The government has a major role in improving the living standards of the people. The
government should reduce cases of corruption and instead channel the income to improving
living conditions among the locals. The government should be held responsible for ensuring that
the P O cruises pay the necessary fees and taxes to the relevant authorities (Hamington, 2010).
Politicians should not have access to such incomes because it is not part of their role. The
government should ensure those politicians interfering with the right channels of incomes and

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directing them to their pockets should face the law. They should be punished in the court of law
in order to reduce such vices. This will reduce mismanagement and embezzlement of public
funds. With the income from the tourists, they should be in a position to set up good housing for
the locals as well as better sanitation facilities (Hamington, 2010). Health facility should be
established d by the government as well as provide the locals with electricity connections in their
houses. Whereas the government is not in a position to fully facilitate such developments, then
they can lobby the P O cruises to contribute towards such developments as a social responsibility
to the locals.
The Australian government should ensure good record keeping of the incomes they receive from
the cruises. They should be able to account for every penny received. Offices should be set up
where the cruises register as they dock. This collection could act as a collection point for the
tourist fee. This will limit collection points for the money received so that a particular office can
be held reliable where there is a deviation. They should open their books of accounts so that they
can manage the funds collected. Allocation of funds to the projects such as health, sanitation, and
electricity should be transparent (Hayes and Ninemeier, 2009). Such allocations should be
disseminated to the locals so that they become aware of the programs of the government. They
can also follow up with procedures and give reports where need be. Committees should be
established to oversee the construction of better houses. Finances allocated for such activities
should be at the committee’s disposal. Financial reports should be published yearly to ensure
updates on the expenditure of incomes.
The Australian government could have resolved these issues through collaborating with the P O
cruises in ensuring that they are legally allowed in the country by meeting the requirements. That
is, it includes payment of tourist fees to the relevant offices where records are kept and can be

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accessed where need be. This could have enabled the government to be sure of the incomes
received and allocate them to development projects in the country. Cruises should have been
informed of the local’s expectations and that they had a role in respecting them as well as
improve their living conditions (Jaszay and Dunk, 2006). They should not cooperate with corrupt
leaders. The government should have held corrupt politicians responsible and be called upon to
refund the money that they had taken. This amount could have been used to set up health facility.
The government should have built good toilets for the locals so that they cannot feel that they are
left out in their own country.
The Australian government should have created job opportunities for the Islanders. With their
incomes, they could manage to improve their state of life by ensuring that they built good houses
and toilets. They should not wait on the government to do everything for them. With better
purchasing power they can access good health care services .there should have been
decentralization so that the income from the tourist could be retained within the islands. This
could have been used to develop the island and allow the tourist to spend their time there. Thus
business activities in the island should have been improved leading to overall economic growth.
Recommendations to overcome these issues include; the government official that will be found
to have misappropriated public funds should be punished in a court of law (Jauhari, 2010). This
will send out fear to those who will be engaging in corrupt activities reducing corruption in the
government. Investment in education and financial institution should be a priority. The banking
system will provide loans for the local they will be able to finance their business as well as
improve their living conditions. With schools, the children can access formal education, as well
as adult's, gets knowledge on business activities. The farmers and islanders should be involved in
decision-making. The government should collect information on how the locals feel that they are

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exploited on what their perception is regarding the tourists and the government (Silva and
Howard, 2006). They should give their view on how the island could be managed for the benefit
of both the locals and the government.
The government should ensure that P O cruises are aware of the plans by the government to use
incomes from tourist to improve living standards. They should work with the government in
ensuring they submit their fee and receipts to the relevant offices. They should be honest with
their submissions failure to which they can face charges. This will ensure financial reports are
correct and no income left for mismanagement. They should let the cruises know the
consequences of corruption in Australia. Government officials should hold consultative meetings
with the P O cruises on their opinion concerning the development of infrastructures in the island
and their expectations (Laws and Thyne, 2012). They should give their preferences on the way
issues should be handled and come with a mutual agreement with the government. They should
also give their explanations on how they have been received and welcomed in the Vanuatu. Such
remarks will be used setting up policies and mobilizing the locals on the tourists’ expectations
therefore, this will ultimately improve the relationship between the locals and tourists.

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List of References
Belloc, H. (1967). On. Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press.
Bobbitt, W. and Sullivan, R. (2005). Developing the public relations campaign. Boston:
Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
Foley, M. (1999). Hospitality, tourism and leisure management. London [u.a.]: Cassell.
Ford, R., Sturman, M. and Heaton, C. (2012). Managing quality service in hospitality. Clifton
Park, N.Y.: Delmar, Cengage Learning.
Goodwin, J., Gaston, J. and Goodwin, J. (1997). Hotel, hospitality, & tourism law. Scottsdale,
Ariz.: Gorsuch Scarisbrick.
Hamington, M. (2010). Feminism and hospitality. Boulder (Colo.): Rowman & Littlefield.
Hayes, D. and Ninemeier, J. (2009). Human resources management in the hospitality industry.
Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
Jaszay, C. and Dunk, P. (2006). Ethical decision making in the hospitality industry. Upper
Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Jauhari, V. (2010). Global cases on hospitality industry. New York [u.a.]: Routledge.
Laws, E. and Thyne, M. (2012). Hospitality Tourism and Lifestyle Concepts. Hoboken: Taylor
and Francis.
Silva, K. and Howard, D. (2006). Hospitality & tourism. New York, N.Y.: Glencoe/McGraw-
Hill.