The Republic of Palau, a tiny nation with fewer than 20,000 people, is having a huge impact on environmental preservation. In 1979, the country's constitution became the world's first anti-nuclear document, and in December 2017, it implemented the Palau Pledge, which demands worldwide visitors to sign a pledge stamp in their passports promising the youngsters of Palau that they should "tread lightly" and "preserve and protect" the islands. Palau is made up of more than 300 islands in the western Pacific.
Ol'au Palau, a new "gamifying" responsible tourism effort, is now being launched as the archipelago reopens to tourists after two years of lockdown. Travelers will be given special experiences based on just how they regard the environment and culture, rather than how much they spend. Points will be awarded to visitors who respect the island nation by making environmentally friendly choices as using reef-safe sunscreen, touring culturally significant locations, and eating sustainably produced local food using a special app that will be launched in the coming months.
Cultural as well as nature-based experiences that are reserved exclusively for Palauans and their acquaintances can be unlocked by redeeming points, such as a trek, swimming in an unmarked cave, dining with locals and elders, or casting a reel at an isolated fishing site. Tourists will also be able to participate in a first birth ceremony, which is a significant cultural occasion in the Philippines.
The concept for the Palau Pledge was born in 2015, when the country's population had grown to 150,000 visitors a year – more than seven times the number of tourists – and many of them didn't comprehend the delicate ecosystem or how essential sustainability was to the people of Palau. However, inhabitants in Palau were concerned about the impact of visitors who were poorly educated on their environment, even though Palauan culture places a high importance on treating visitors with respect.
Palau's economy is strongly dependent on tourism, and the Covid lockdowns had a devastating effect on it. Travelers who have been fully immunised since April 2022 will be able to return to the country's secluded beautiful sandy and wildlife-rich dive sites, which have given it the nickname "the underwater Serengeti," when the country reopens its borders. Historic ship and jet wrecks from World War II bring history-minded divers to Palau, which served as a battleground throughout the conflict. To top it all off, a 500,000-square-kilometer swath of the ocean has been designated as the world largest first National Marine Sanctuary, making it a prime location for spotting the region's 135 different kinds of shark and ray species.
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