1. The diversification of the tourism product on La Digue to ensure that there are more services and activities to increase visitor engagement and spend and encourage repeat visitors. This could be in terms of food and beverage, cultural and artisanal products as well as niche products, Mrs. Senaratne said.
2. Determining the exact impact of tourism on existing productive infrastructure and the need for La Digue to adopt more sustainable and green solutions.
3. A visitor management plan for key areas and assets on La Digue. This is especially during the cruise ship season where there is an influx of visitors on the islands.
4. The development of a detailed carrying capacity framework involving all stakeholders is critical, the study concluded. This framework should be integrated into existing monitoring efforts, updated on a regular basis, define specific actions to address issues that arise, and be reported to key stakeholders.
It will be recalled that a previous carrying capacity study undertaken in 2013 imposed a moratorium on the development of tourism accommodation establishments limiting development to no more than five rooms per developer.
