The promise and peril of Asia's tourism boom
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Boracay Island?– a popular tourist spot known for its?white?sandy?beaches?– made the headlines in 2018 when the Philippines shut it down for six months for a major sewage clean-up. But post-pandemic, the island, as well as other destinations,?has struggled to attract the crowds back. The slowdown in the following years hit businesses and the local economy hard.?
So?it might come as no surprise that across the archipelago, a boost to flight connectivity to lesser-known islands over the past six months has been welcomed. Our latest special report?by Iloilo-based writer Rhick Lars Albay looks at how sustainable travel initiatives have taken off in Coron Island, Bohol and Cebu, where stewardship plans are in place to ensure tourism spend goes towards the funding of conservation efforts – and ultimately benefit local communities.?
It is hard to ignore, however, that airline travel is still the Achilles heel of global tourism emissions. Beyond the Philippines, other airports in Asia such as Singapore's Changi are embarking on expansion plans to stay competitive amid the travel boom. The global travel industry has made some progress in slowing emissions, but challenges remain in sustainable aviation efforts.?
Boracay's predicament is also a good reminder that any form of ecotourism must take into consideration waste generation and its management. Plastic pollution – rife on these islands?– is a global crisis and needs to be tackled urgently. This week, the United Nations Environment Programme announced that final negotiations on a legally-binding global plastic treaty will resume?in August in Geneva.?As governments in Asia look to implement laws to address this issue, we published our latest roundtable insights report that?offers a?deep-dive into Malaysia's waste strategy.?
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