Meet Doctor Dawn Jocelyn Gibson, the Acting Head of Discipline/ Senior Lecturer of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of the South Pacific.

Dr Gibson first became interested in sustainable tourism as an undergraduate student at USP, studying the negative impacts of tourism globally and within the Pacific.

She mentioned that one of the main changes that should take place in the Pacific is the drastic reduction in single-use plastics, especially for bottled water and packaging, and more sustainable waste management that reduces environmental pollution.

“My concerns increased while undertaking my Ph.D. research in the Yasawas and seeing the socio-economic and environmental impacts of tourism in island communities and recognising the need for the sustainable management of our resources,” she said.

“Post-COVID-19 destinations should be developing transformative tourism experiences that have the power to transform individual tourism experiences and make a difference to individuals as well as society at large while having implications for the development of a more sustainable regional tourism product. Such transformative tourism experiences are provided within the countries’ general tourism, education, volunteer tourism, culture, nature, agritourism, health and wellness, and specialist tourism experiences.

“Wellness includes tourist experiences and staff/community health and wellness. Tourism experiences can provide transformative outcomes depending on the environment, social interactions, and characteristics of the experience, whether educational, cultural, spiritual, psychological, or physical. Our peoples/cultures are our main resources, and tourist reviews of destinations often comment on the friendliness and hospitality of our peoples as one of the reasons that keep them returning to our lands.”

ENDS.