ABSTRACT
Tourism in small island developing states (SIDS), including those in the South Pacific, is crucial to the social and economic development of their communities. It is the largest export sector, a key contributor of gross domestic product (GDP), and a major employer for most SIDS in the Pacific (South Pacific Tourism Organization – SPTO 2007). With its potential to lift people out of poverty through the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities it provides, the tourism sector also embraces, and has the potential to make a substantial contribution to, the achievement of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (UNWTO, UNEP and WMO 2008). At the same time the tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts (UNWTO 2005). As a climate-dependent industry, tourism is highly sensitive to climate change as the physical and ecological attributes of destinations are altered, compromising the levels of enjoyment, safety and comfort of tourists (Becken and Hay 2007), and consequently influencing the levels and patterns of travel.
