Looking Behind the Stage in a Beach Paradise: Taganga, Colombia

This case study looks beyond the clichés of paradise destinations in the Caribbean through an in-depth exploration of one of the beach destinations in this region. Extensive research performed on-site reveals the main junctures of the place’s history in the scheme of tourism development. The once isolated fishing community of Taganga on the Caribbean coast of Colombia is examined via participant and non-participant observation, and with semi-structured interviews that uncover the dynamics of negotiations and conflicts between the community, visitors, local authorities, and tourist industry. The changes in the nature of visitor markets are also reported as they relate to the actions of external and internal stakeholders. The effects of these changes over time are evident in the community’s shifting economy as well as in the destination’s environment. These mirror shifts at local, national, and international levels, and the authors will discuss whether they indicate advancing towards more value and higher experiential levels, as is posited by the literature. © The Authors 2024