Theory: Tourism Impacts and Challenges

Tourism Development Challenges for Small Island Developing States - Part 1

Special characteristics

Securing sustainable development through tourism should take SIDS special characteristics and needs into account. For example, small size impacts competition for limited resources.

Accessibility

The remoteness of SIDS impacts access to markets and services, costs of trading, and cultural sensitivity. For example, transport and communication are important in maintaining contact and linkages with the rest of the world, yet the physical remoteness and distances involved persist as barriers in proportion to the costs of improving the frequency and reliability of transportation services. The need for improved transportation services therefore needs to be balanced with the need for green transport options.

Climate change and other sources of environmental degradation

It is anticipated that SIDS will be highly vulnerable to climate change impacts even though they have historically contributed little to the issue (less than 1% compared to the global total). Economic growth, water availability, health, food production and the delicate ecosystems in SIDS are already suffering losses from weather related events. SIDS are particularly vulnerable due to climate change impacts due to isolation, small land masses, limited natural resources, high population/growth rates, high coastal population/infrastructure and limited capacity for adaptation.