Green tourism alleviating poverty through tourism – indigenous community-based tourism, Yasawa Islands, Fiji

Community-based tourism (CBT) development in the South Pacific is promoted as a development tool for rural and marginalised areas, including remote outlying islands. It is a potential solution to poverty alleviation through sustainable economic and social development. This ethnographic case study of Wayalailai Ecohaven Resort (WER) and Naqalia Lodge in Fiji is an example of a participatory approach to indigenous tourism. Studies show tourism has social outcomes that can have negative and positive impacts on the local community. In general, villagers feel that tourism has brought positive benefits to the community. However, village elders expressed concern at the changing behaviour of young men and women in the village although the extent to which this is solely attributed to tourism is questionable. Tourism at WER and Naqalia has provided extensive socio-economic benefits for a once marginalised, remote, island community, and is an example, of how, with planning and consideration of cultural aspirations, tourism potential for alleviating poverty can increase