Tourism has long been a vital economic driver in Black countries, but the rise of Black travellers worldwide is reshaping the way destinations market themselves and how communities experience tourism. In this episode, Amanda Parris explores the complex intersections of culture, commerce, and history, asking whether tourism does more harm than good.

Amanda begins in Ghana, visiting Cape Coast and reflecting on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. She explores sites like the Nkyinkyim Museum and attends a music and cultural
festival that celebrates African contemporary creativity, showing how tourism can be both empowering and fraught with tension. At the same time, she considers the role of political and economic structures in shaping the experiences of locals and visitors alike.

In Jamaica, Amanda investigates the divide between mass tourism and grassroots, community-led experiences. She visits the Rastafari Indigenous Village in Montego Bay and meets activists fighting to protect public access to natural and cultural sites such as the Blue Lagoon and Winnifred Beach. These stories highlight the ways communities navigate commercialization, preserve heritage, and assert control over their own spaces.

Throughout the episode, Amanda considers the power and responsibility of Black travellers, showing how tourism can be a vehicle for reclamation, cultural connection, and economic opportunity when approached thoughtfully. By centering local voices and diaspora perspectives, the episode illuminates how Black tourism is transforming both the places visited and the travellers themselves.

Part of For the Culture, Series 2.