Management of the environmental impact of tourism and air transport on small island developing states

At the crossroads of sustainable development of small island developing states (SIDS) is tourism, the staple income earner of many SIDS and an industry which would not survive without air transport. Typically, therefore, it would be tempting to conclude that SIDS would benefit from an open skies or vastly liberalized air transport policy in order to attract as many tourists as they could. However, the environmental impact of uncontrolled tourism or untrammelled air transport activity in SIDS brings to bear the need for the effective management of the two activities.