Demand and supply perspectives on diaspora tourism: the case of Guyanese in Toronto

Abstract

ABSTRACT The intersection between circulatory migratory travel and connections to the ancestral home constitutes diaspora tourism. Where there is a growing body of literature on diaspora tourism, the tendency has been to focus on demand side interactions and omit supply side perspectives. Using a conceptual framework underpinned by demand and supply side analyses, this paper provides a more comprehensive examination of diaspora tourism, focusing on tourism flows between the Guyanese diaspora in Toronto and their homeland. The study employs a mixed-method approach and the results show that there are significant misalignments between demand and supply that need to be addressed if Guyana is to reap optimal benefits from its largest visitor segment, the diaspora market.