<p> The Caribbean region consists of many small island developing states (SIDS) that are dependent on a sun, sea, and sand (3-S) tourism product. These SIDS are facing declining competitiveness vis-à-vis other tourism destinations and need to differentiate and rejuvenate their tourism product offerings. This study investigates the extent to which marijuana-tourism can lead to disruptive innovations (DI) in SIDS that are tourist dependent. A systematic review, using 53 research articles and a thematic synthesis analyzing seven different themes: (1) demographic profile of marijuana users and potential market size, (2) marijuana-tourism motivations, (3) common uses of marijuana, (4) types and structures of legal and regulatory frameworks, (5) cultivation, distribution, and marketing factors, (6) economic impacts of legalized recreational marijuana; and (7) adverse health and safety impacts were elaborated. The principal findings are that the regulatory framework for legalization acts as a mediating variable for defining the scope and structure of marijuana-related businesses and tourism niches that appear. When the recreational regulatory framework permits private competition, as evidenced in the early pioneering jurisdictions, significant economic benefits have resulted and at the same time social and health costs have been attenuated to date. In the context of SIDS, legal regimes are still largely prohibitionist, and in a few instances, partial liberalization has occurred. As liberalization progresses, structural and governance challenges exist that may moderate benefits. Further research is needed in many areas, given that the liberalization of marijuana laws is a recent phenomenon. More research is needed in areas, such as in-depth economic and social impacts analysis; the profile, composition, and expenditure patterns of marijuana tourists; the comparative advantages of different regulatory frameworks; and the public health and safety impacts for residents, marijuana tourists, and hospitality sector workers.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:13428534 |
| Date | 23 March 2019 |
| Creators | Wenner, Gemma Antonine |
| Publisher | University of Maryland University College |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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