IMAGES: JOSH BURKINSHAW; PALAU VISITORS AUTHORITY
Q&A
Justin Francis The OBE honouree and
co-founder of Responsible Travel on why the last thing people need is abandonment
SHOULD WE BE VISITING VULNERABLE ISLANDS? Yes, and here’s why. Flying to low-lying islands doesn’t create
more carbon emissions than flying to major destinations. In terms of travel emissions, the impact is
similar, regardless of where you go. But there’s a positive: your holiday can help such places become more climate-resilient by supporting their economy.
in the lull left in Hurriance Melissa’s wake was ensuring as much of the tourism sector as possible was back to normal before the mid-December beginning of peak season. Tourism supports 175,000 jobs in Jamaica, with hundreds of thousands more indirectly reliant on the industry. This bind is echoed across other
island nations confronting similar pressures, from the Caribbean to the Pacifi c. Speaking from COP30 in Brazil, Ilana notes that pulling down the tourism shutters is neither economically viable nor culturally desirable, regardless of the stakes. For Palau, she explains, tourism remains not only a fi nancial lifeline but a means of safeguarding heritage, identity and the ecosystems that defi ne the nation. “We need tourism to help fi ght
back. Our message in Palau is that we want the world to come and enjoy the things that we’ve protected for many, many generations,” she says. “It’s about thoughtful, conscious tourism — understanding the ecosystems we visit are incredibly
fragile, and making deliberate choices to spread our impact so no one thing or place is overloaded.” In Palau, there’s already proof
tourism can support, rather than undermine, environmental resilience. ‘The country was the fi rst in the world to introduce an offi cial ‘pledge’ scheme, requiring visitors to commit to protecting the islands’ natural and cultural heritage on arrival. More than 80% of its waters are designated as a marine sanctuary, and community-led conservation projects are funded by visitor contributions. Rather than limiting tourism, Palau is reshaping it, demonstrating how island nations can continue to welcome travellers while actively restoring coral reefs, supporting local livelihoods and strengthening cultural traditions. She adds: “We’d like to educate
visitors and show them they have a joint interest in keeping our ecosystems pristine. We’d like them to come back, and their children to come back, and it’s down to all of us to fi gure this out together.”
HOW CAN WE MITIGATE THE NEGATIVES OF OUR VISITS? Flying less is a big one, but also staying longer in a destination to get better value from a carbon
footprint. Research accommodation options thoroughly and, if possible, choose somewhere that’s powered by renewable energy. Food is a significant contributor: try to eat
less meat and consume less dairy. WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?
This is about leaving the destination economically stronger than it was
before your visit. Make sure that as much of your pound stays in local hands as possible. This can be a joyful task: to spend your money in
local restaurants, on local crafts and to stay at locally owned places.
WHAT ABOUT POST-VISIT? Many of these destinations are astonishing and you’ll naturally
From left: Rising seas call for deeper understanding and renewed care for the life they hold; healthy coral reefs and seagrass beds help protect beaches, absorbing wave energy and reducing erosion
return as an advocate for them. But it’s time to move into hard action. Look to make a contribution to a
specific conservation or resilience- building project that you’ve researched or experienced.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – ISLANDS COLLECTION 59
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