Climate change leaves future of Pacific Islands tourism ‘highly uncertain’

Some of the finest waters in the world, as well as picturesque beaches and forest, are scattered across the Pacific Islands, which are scattered across a sizable region of sea.

They are a magnet for commerce, which is essential for many of the countries ‘ markets.

But the state’s travel market, and those who rely on it, are extremely wary of the effect of continuing weather change.

” Pacific Island officials have declared climate change as the main threat to the livelihoods, safety, and well-being of Pacific areas”, says Christopher Cocker, the deputy executive of the Pacific Tourism Organisation.

The region’s future of tourism is still very uncertain without urgent and revolutionary action.

He continues,” All territories of the Pacific are prone to the effects of climate change. But, low-lying island states like Tuvalu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia are more susceptible.

These islands are prone to flooding from rising seas, particularly during prince seas, and having access to safe, clean drinking water is difficult due to prolonged drought and unpredictable rainfall patterns.

Then there’s the threat of erratic and potentially devastating tropical storms, which are ranked from one ( the weakest ), to five ( the strongest ).

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has said that culture versions of the Pacific Ocean have suggested” there could be a potential shift towards fewer, but more intense, hurricanes”.

Citizens in Tonga claim that they are now seeing stronger hurricanes hit more frequently.

Nomuka is a small rectangular area in Tonga’s Ha’apai island, about 3, 500km (2, 175 yards ) north-west of Sydney, Australia. Surrounded by sea, its population of about 400 individuals feels at the mercy of humanity’s wishes and fury.

” We nearly always experience storms.” Sione Taufa, an associate professor of the University of Auckland Business School and a member of the New Zealand-Tonga Business Council, recalls that there were typically one or two that had a clear hit as a result.

” But today we are seeing many more frequently that those group four or five cyclones.”

The peril that Pacific Islands states face has been highlighted recently by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Last month he attended the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga, and called for the world’s most polluting countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

” The small]Pacific ] islands do n’t contribute to climate change but everything that happens because of climate change is multiplied here, “he said.

A two-hour trip heading north-west from Tonga are the islands of Fiji, a former British colony.

Last year Fiji welcomed 929,740 visitors, mostly from Australia, New Zealand, North America and China.

These, too, there is worry about a shifting environment.

Marica Vakacola is from the Mamanuca Environment Society, a group company based in Nadi, by Fiji’s major international airports.

The organization promotes responsible travel and environmental protection, and it is planting trees and restoring trees. But Ms Vakacola tells me that this piece of Viti Levu, Fiji’s biggest area, is now living with the effects of warming heat.

Saltwater from the intruding sea is contaminating bore water, and more and more water must be collected during the wet season.

” Water protection is a great risk in terms of culture shift, “explains Ms Vakacola.

” Most of the water sources that were once great enough to be consumed are now being ingested by water waters. Rising sea levels are causing coral bleaching, and the seawater’s temperature changes are causing shore sides to erode.

Susanne Becken, a professor of sustainable hospitality at Griffith University in Australia, sees potential for conflict due to the Pacific Islands ‘ limited water resources.

” Drinking fluids is increasingly becoming an issue in some places,” she says.

Because tourists successfully use the liquid that the locals need, there might be issue with the community.

In Fiji and the Cook Islands, Prof. Becken has just completed his study. It revealed some sudden sentiments toward culture change and the danger it poses to island countries.

There is a little bit of rejection, where there is little that we can do about it. It was viewed with ease as a world issue that the Pacific Islands were unable to solve effectively. I was a little surprised, to be honest, that people even feel a little bit vulnerable.

” It is almost like’ let’s not talk about it’. Perhaps they are anxious to see the expansion of the tourism industry return. It is not part of the story. It is a truly tricky issue”.

The Cook Islands, a popular tourist destination for both Australians and New Zealanders, are facing difficult realities, though, because the majority of the tourism infrastructure is enlarging around the main islands ‘ shores.

The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation’s director of location growth is Brad Kirner. He acknowledges that society discussions can be heated over global warming.

” If we accept fact, it will require some very serious adaptation strategies put in place. It’s a tough dialogue.

” There’s also the hard protection that, yes, vacation is a major contributor to global warming, and we need to face that reality. How do we come up with solutions?”

We are only a small percentage of the world’s population, and as a result, we have a very small carbon footprint. However, he continues,” We are on the front line of climate change.”

While there might be a sense of despair, it should n’t be mistaken for an admission of defeat. Far from it. Persistence runs deep in some of the nation’s most isolated countries.

Social networks vary across the archipelago, where the impact of brotherhood parties, area networks and the community in Australia, New Zealand and beyond is paramount.

” Naturally, they will enjoy all the help that is given especially in the fallout of any natural disaster, but being treated with a victim mentality is n’t very good,” says the University of Auckland’s Sione Taufa.

” If any assistance comes we’ll be grateful for it, and if it does n’t we’ll try our best to survive. In times of need, you rely on your neighbors. Most importantly, it is a trust system.”