The Niue Government sees tourism as the island's industry for economic viability. All tours on Niue have been constructed with Eco-guidelines. Niue considers sustainable tourism essential for the preservation of resources for future generations. The Tourist Office of Niue is currently putting together an "Accreditation Scheme" that involves criteria for responsible environmental practices in tourism businesses.
One successful eco-tour that Niue offers is the Huvalu Forest Conservation Tour. Huvalu has thousands of hectares of national forest, traditionally managed by the native villagers. The Conservation extends from the forest to the coastline. It is the home of a rainforest growing on rock, villages, a rugged coastline, numerous species of flora and fauna, and important cultural heritage.
The Conservation tour offers tourists guides from the villages. Guides take the tourist to natural and cultural features in the forest and on the coast. A local village hosts an information center for tourists. At the center, visitors are able to learn how the village people lived throughout their history of existence and traditional conservation management techniques.
The Huvalu Conservation Area is not a National Park. Traditional western National Parks are owned by governments. In many Pacific countries, and in the case of Niue, much of the land is owned my individuals or families. The Conservation Area Concept retains land ownership and cooperatively holds a relationship between the local land-owners, the community and the government. The concept was developed by the South Pacific Biodiversity Programme, which is a part of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
Information provided in this section can be attributed to the following;
Niue WebsiteIda Talagi-Hekesi, Niue Tourism Office