Hoteliers’ Perceptions of and Responses to Climate Variability and Change in Antigua and Efate

Abstract

Many economies in small tropical islands are built on tourism, using their sun, sea and sand to entice visitors. However, climate variability and climate change are affecting these small islands, threatening many livelihoods and their fragile economies. There is limited information on the adaptation strategies and perception of climate change within key sectors of these economies, including the accommodation sector. Hence a study which examines the experiences of Antigua Island in the Caribbean and Efate Island in the South Pacific. The uniqueness of this study is that there are few published articles on this topic especially those comparing two islands. This study found that whilst all hoteliers perceived changes in precipitation, temperature and sea level only a limited number implemented few adaptation measures. We conclude that there is need for government regulation of the accommodation sector as it relates to managing the impacts of climate change, to help build resilience within the sector and wider economy.