Turning a global crisis into a tourism opportunity : the perspective from Tuvalu

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008/2009 had a major impact on many small island states. In the case of Tuvalu, the GFC uncovered structural weaknesses in the national economy including the need to build alternative sources of income. Given the country's location and its rich marine resources, tourism is possibly the only new industry that has some capacity to generate new revenue streams. This article examines the problems that the country will face if it decides to pursue tourism and offers three options for tourism development including diving, ‘off the beaten track’ experiences and voyeuristic ‘last chance’ tourism.