Dr Min Jiang, from Centre for Tourism and Services Research for Victoria University in Melbourne, met with Mr Sakopo Lolohea (CEO/Director for the Ministry of Tourism) today. Dr Jiang is conducting a study, funded by AusAID, which seeks to strengthen the resilience of the Pacific Island tourism sector against the impacts of climate change.

The Tonga Visitors Bureau (Ministry of Tourism) has provided extensive information and admin resources, which will ensure the research project runs smoothly and that Dr Jiang meets all of the right people whilst she is in the Kingdom of Tonga.

Overall Aim

The project aims to develop climate change adaptation policies and strategies to assist the Pacific Island tourism sector protect and grow local livelihoods.

Project Background

Tourism is the largest export sector for most Pacific Island countries and offers great opportunity for economic growth and sustainable development. It has the potential to lift people out of poverty through the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities it provides.

With its close connections to the environment and climate itself, tourism is highly sensitive to climate change risks similar to agriculture, insurance, energy, and transportation. Pacific tourism is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts due to the climate sensitivity of the natural environmental assets upon which the industry is based, the industry’s reliance on a long haul travel market threatened by global climate change policy and changing consumer demands and the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure. It will inevitably need to adapt to risks from future climate change.

Research Questions

Within Pacific Island economies:

• What is the character of the tourism sector including its backward and forward linkages into the wider Island economies and global markets and how has it shown resilience to previous shocks?
• How might climate change impact upon the tourism sector and local livelihoods?
• What is the existing policy environment (tourism, climate change, environmental and disaster management) and how might a policy sciences analysis assist in addressing the challenge of climate change?
• What vulnerability/resilience frameworks exist in sustainability science and what are the most appropriate frameworks for use by the local tourism industry to adapt to climate change?
• How should such frameworks be incorporated into tourism policies, plans and strategies?

Project Method and Research Acitivies

1. Policy analysis in 10 Pacific Island countries (tentatively including policies in Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu)
2. Develop a vulnerability/resilience framework suitable for the tourism sector
3. Detailed case studies in 3 destinations (tentatively in Samoa, Vanuatu, and Denarau in Fiji) commencing with understanding the destinations existing resilience to climate change, risk and disasters
4. Apply and modify the vulnerability/resilience framework to the case study destinations and propose a suite of possible adaptation strategies
5. Policy implications for Pacific Island Countries

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

• An analysis of how current tourism related policies in Pacific Island countries are responding to climate change with PRESENTATION at workshop coinciding with SPTO inter Island meeting

• A vulnerability/resilience FRAMEWORK suitable for the tourism sector in the Pacific, involving:
  • Characterisation of the industry and its RESILIENCE in case study countries
  • Characterisation of the climate change IMPACTS in case study countries
  • Understanding the OPPORTUNITIES for the tourism sector arising from potential climate change
  • Vulnerability/resilience MODEL applied to enterprises and destinations within case study destinations
  • TOOL-KIT to assist destinations and enterprises adapt, (including seizing potential opportunities) to climate change
  • Detailing vulnerability/resilience FRAMEWORK for the tourism sector in the Pacific

• RECOMMENDATIONS on how tourism policies in Pacific Island countries can include a framework for adapting to climate change

• WORKSHOPS in a number of Pacific Island countries on tourism industry adaptation to climate change

• Standard academic PUBLICATIONS and industry reports

Contact Info

To find out more or participate in the study, email min.jiang@vu.edu.au or call Dr Jiang on +676 777 8658. Dr Jiang is in the Kingdom of Tonga until 21 March.

Project Sponsors

Dr Jiang’s study is supported by Australia’s Victoria University and the University of New South Wales, as well as the University of South Pacific. Dr Jiang is also working in partnership with Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific International, South Pacific Tourism Organisation and Pacific Asia Tourism. She is also working closely with climate adaptation projects being undertaken by SPREP and those being funded by UNDP.