Just south of Jamaica, the Cayman Islands have
truly grown up the past thirty years, driven by tourism and banking.
The Cayman Islands rank as the world's fifth largest offshore financial
centre. Bank secrecy laws make it illegal to reveal the identities
of accounts owners - unless of course, shady dealings are suspected.
Through the years, regulations have been severely tightened making
it nearly impossible to launder cash here.
On the tourism side of development, the islands have been a scuba-diving
paradise since the 1960s. The Cayman Islands, like all islands,
are essentially the tips of underwater mountains, and the submerged
terrain
around these islands is especially dramatic. The spectacular underwater
walls, caverns and healthy coral reefs have made these islands
one of the world's best spots for diving and snorkelling. Add to that
their virtually crime-free ambience (thanks to tight government
controls
and the high per-capita income enjoyed by most Caymanians) and
it's easy to see why so many people choose the Cayman Islands for a
Caribbean
holiday.
Though people from around the world visit to scuba dive and enjoy
the tropical climate, US travellers predominate. The islands are
just a 90-minute flight from Miami, Florida, and being a British
territory, English is the official language - making these islands
a quick, convenient and easy getaway for Americans. In fact, the
hotels, fast-food chains, products and many of the service industry
workers hail from the US (many Canadians also work here). |
