"Despite being a small island nation, Palau became the first in the world to have adopted in 1981 a constitution banning nuclear weapons and created the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009, banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters. Between 2014 and 2015, the country experienced a rapid tourism boom, particularly with mass tourism from China, when annual visitor numbers reached a record 170,000."
"The Palau Pledge was implemented in December 2017, which requires visitors to sign a pledge stamp in their passports that promises the children of Palau that they will 'tread lightly' and 'preserve and protect' the islands - the first such immigration policy in the world. The pledge has inspired other policy changes, such as the ban on reef-toxic sunscreens and the creation of Green Fees to fund conservation."
Palau comprises over 300 islands in the Western Pacific with turquoise waters and dense jungle. The nation adopted a constitution banning nuclear weapons in 1981 and established the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009, banning commercial shark fishing. A tourism surge in 2014–2015 reached 170,000 visitors and overwhelmed local environments, prompting a 2015 shift to the 'Pristine Paradise Palau' sustainable, high-value, low-impact tourism strategy. The December 2017 Palau Pledge requires visitors to promise to 'tread lightly' and 'preserve and protect' the islands and spurred bans on reef-toxic sunscreens and conservation fees.
Read at Mail Online
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