Anyone who has taken a cruise in the Caribbean has been to a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), yet most of the time, tourists are unaware of it and the impact they make on these destinations.
SIDS, comprising 38 United Nations member states and 20 non-UN member states, include islands and island nations such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Haiti and St. Maarten in the Caribbean, as well as others like Papua New Guinea, Samoa and even Singapore.
But why are they called SIDS? The term was coined by the United Nations to categorize small island nations that face unique challenges, such as increased dependence on imports, geographical isolation, a fragile local ecosystem and a reliance upon tourism, which along with fishing can comprise more than half of a SIDS' gross domestic product (GDP).
Often caught in hurricane pathways, like much of the Caribbean during 2017, or losing landmass and biodiversity due to climate change and pollution, SIDS are often always the first to feel the impacts of a changing climate and world, as well as economic recessions and other world-changing events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
I myself have seen the aftermath of the vicious 2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean when I visited St. Maarten on a cruise and found many buildings still lying in ruins several years after the hurricanes wiped out communications, power supplies and other key infrastructures, let alone people's houses.
Tourism can often be the main economic driver of SIDS, especially those in the Caribbean. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the pandemic caused a 70 percent drop in travel to SIDS in 2020, with an estimated four years to recover fully from its effects. With tourism often making up one of the largest industries on these islands, the effects have been devastating.
Prior to this, tourism also had some negative effects. With over-tourism comes loss of biodiversity, a commodification of local culture and an exploitation of both culture and resources as SIDS' infrastructures cannot balance an abundance of tourists with the needs of its own inhabitants.
Boracay, once a popular destination in the Philippines, is now virtually unknown after the region suffered from overtourism, raw sewage flowing directly into the sea by resorts and destruction of local beaches and coastlines due to human-made pollution. The region began scaling down its tourism back in 2018 after decades of unchecked tourism operations that devastated the area.
The UN World Tourism Organization writes, "The overarching challenge and opportunity for tourism in islands is to support further economic growth while protecting and benefitting island environments and communities."
So how can tourism, as it restarts in many SIDS as more individuals are vaccinated and as countries begin or have already begun reopening, make a more positive impact and help solve SIDS' other challenges?
One sustainable tourism consultancy, Sea Going Green, believes that sustainability initiatives and local empowerment can help developing nations solve their greatest problems. The Amsterdam-based firm works to solve the negative impacts tourism can make through partnerships with hotels, tourism operators and even the islands themselves. It partnered with Bonaire to create Trasame', a community empowerment initiative that works to advance political engagement among its youth.
But while governments, organizations and nonprofits work to develop these island nations from the inside out, how can travelers like you and me help make a more positive impact when we travel to these destinations?
The answer is a complicated one, but at the end of the day, it's about mindfulness. If you'll be traveling to a single island nation, check with your travel advisor about sustainable accommodations. Iberostar is just one of many that has been working to create coral nurseries and has banned single-use plastics at its resorts.
If you'll be using a tour operator, choose one with a clear sustainability initiative and that offers local experiences that help empower communities and cultures. For example, G Adventures employs local tour guides and has been working to promote community empowerment with its G for Good programming, connecting travelers with programs that benefit women, the disabled and local sustainability initiatives.
If you'll be cruising, book a tour with a local tour operator on the island, or choose to do more sustainable activities. Research the cruise line's sustainability initiatives to see if they're working towards better practices for both the environment and the communities in which they visit. Purchase locally made souvenirs instead of imported items from brand-name stores.
Tourism wields great power for a Small Island Developing State, but when wielded responsibly, it can be the difference between a destination's destruction or its rise to a more equitable and sustainable future for all. We are at a crossroads; let's choose the right path.
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