In honor of the World Tourism Day 2020, we cover the innovative tourism development story of Palau, the world’s first carbon-neutral tourism destination.
The Palau Bureau of Tourism, Sustainable Travel International and SlowFood have introduced a new project in Palau that aims to mitigate the tourism sector’s carbon footprint and set up Palau as the world’s first “Carbon Neutral Tourism Location.”
The project’s long-term goal is to establish the island country as the world’s first official carbon-neutral tourism destination. With a focus on specific approaches to sustainable tourism, such as promoting local food production and developing a transparent carbon management plan, the project is sure to serve as an inspiration to other countries.
Image Courtesy – Pristine Paradise of Palau
In 2019, there were over 89,000 international tourists who visited the islands. This is considerable, seeing as the small country only has a population of just under 22,000. With such massive visitor numbers compared to permanent residents, the tourism industry is the main source of economic income and employment on the islands by far.
Palau has since taken extensive measures to protect its environment and promote responsible tourism.
Image Courtesy – Pristine Paradise of Palau
One such a measure, the innovative “Palau Pledge,” became the world’s first mandatory visitor eco-pledge. Upon entry, all tourists are required to sign a pledge promising to act in an environmentally conscious and overall sustainable manner during their travels in order to protect the islands for future generations to come. Tourists risk a fine if they’re found engaging in activities like collecting marine life souvenirs, feeding fish or sharks, touching or stepping on coral, littering and disrespecting local culture. The tour operators are also banned from using single-use plastics and implements the world’s strictest national reef-safe sunscreen standard.
