The main problems with tourism are loss of control over local resources due to foreign dependence, low spread of positive effects outside the tourism enclaves, socioeconomic inequality, fluctuating earnings, environmental destruction, and rising alienation among local populations producing crime, overcrowding, poor ...

While tourism is a vital economic pillar for the Caribbean, it carries significant weaknesses, primarily economic leakage and environmental degradation. It is estimated that up to 80% of tourism spending in the region "leaks" back to foreign-owned cruise lines, airlines, and hotel chains rather than staying in local hands. Environmentally, the sheer volume of visitors puts immense strain on scarce freshwater resources, with tourists often consuming three to four times more water per day than residents. Marine ecosystems suffer from untreated wastewater discharge—up to 85% of which enters the Caribbean Sea untreated—and physical damage to coral reefs caused by cruise ship anchors and irresponsible snorkeling. Furthermore, the region's heavy reliance on a single industry makes it economically vulnerable to external shocks, such as severe hurricanes intensified by climate change or global economic downturns, which can instantly paralyze local livelihoods that have no diverse alternative.