Early boom

The Cordasco House, a 19th-century Gothic gingerbread mansion

Like most tourism during the turn of the 19th century, tourism in Haiti ostensibly began with a series of popularized travelogues. Many of these travel narratives were themselves the result of the "opening up" of Haiti during the US Occupation (1915-1934) and Western capitalist expansion across the greater Caribbean. Authors invariably wrote on topics concerning racism and "The Negro Question" (i.e. whether Haiti and blacks in general were capable of civilization and self-rule), Haitian revolutionary intrigue, and voodoo mystique. The sights which these texts reported became the foundation for the country's more celebrated attractions following World War II.^[13]

In the late 1940s and 1950s, tourists flocked to the waterfront area of Port-au-Prince, redeveloped to allow cruise ship passengers to walk from the docks to the famous cultural attractions. Among these attractions was the Moorish-styled Iron Market, where fine Haitian art and mahogany were sold, as the evenings were accompanied by dancing, casino gambling, or Voodoo shows. The exclusivity attracted the likes of Truman Capote and Noël Coward to the Hotel Oloffson, a 19th-century Gothic gingerbread mansion set in a lush tropical garden, which even was glorified in the Graham Greene novel, The Comedians.^[6]

Haiti's brief tourism boom was wiped out by the rule of Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier and his unstable government. However, when his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier succeeded him as President for Life, tourism returned in the 1970s, and again Haiti was a hot spot tourist destination drawing an average of 150,000 visitors annually,^[14] behind the Dominican Republic at the time which received 278,000 tourists in 1975.^[15] Tourists flocking to Haiti's new seaside beach resort, included Bill and Hillary Clinton who honeymooned there in 1975. Vive la différence has long been Haiti's national tourism slogan,^[16] and its proximity to the United States made Haiti a hot attraction until the Duvalier regime was ousted in 1986.^[14]

Late 20th century

Since the second half of the 20th century, tourism in Haiti has suffered from the country's political upheaval. Inadequate infrastructure also has limited visitors to the island. Following the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1991, tourism has recovered slowly. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has joined the Haitian government in efforts to restore the island's image as a tourist destination. In 2001, 141,000 foreigners visited Haiti. Most came from the United States. Further improvements in hotels, restaurants, and other infrastructure still are needed to make tourism a major industry for Haiti.

Due to recent political instability, tourism (once a significant industry) has suffered in Haiti, except for Labadee, a port located on the country's northern coast. Labadee is a resort leased long-term by Royal Caribbean International. Although sometimes described in advertisements as an island in its own right, it is actually contiguous with the rest of Hispaniola. Labadee is fenced off from the surrounding area. The cruise ships dock at the pier and passengers disembark directly to the resort without being allowed to visit other parts of the country. Attractions include a Haitian flea market, traditional Haitian dance performances, numerous beaches, water sports, and a water park.^[17][18]

The city of Jacmel, due to its reputation as being less politically volatile, its French colonial era architecture, its colorful cultural carnival, pristine beaches, and a nascent film festival, has been attracting local tourists and a small amount of international tourism.^[19]

Despite obstacles, Haiti's rich culture and history has allowed the country to maintain a moderate and potentially rising tourist industry.^[20]

The well-preserved Cathedral Notre-Dame of Cap-Haïtien.