Vanuatu Indigenous leaders raise concerns over plans to build resort for cruise tourists

Indigenous community leaders in Vanuatu have challenged Royal Caribbean's plans to build a private beach club on the island of Lelepa, citing inadequate environmental assessments. In a February 26 letter to the cruise operator, the leaders contended that the company's impact studies are "incomplete" and "misleading," and warned the development could damage fragile ecosystems and threaten a nearby UNESCO world heritage site. The dispute reflects mounting tension between tourism expansion and indigenous land rights in the Pacific island nation. Royal Caribbean's resort project underscores broader friction between cruise operators seeking new destinations and local communities concerned about environmental degradation and cultural preservation. The outcome will likely hinge on how Vanuatu's government weighs economic benefits against indigenous concerns and ecological protection.