Establishing a sustainable financing mechanism

The financing scheme for the Sanctuary is also novel.  Under the law creating the Sanctuary, all tourism visitors must pay a Pristine Paradise Environmental Fee (PPEF), which, will be used to ensure surveillance, enforcement and necessary administration of the PNMS.  A very strong effort is also underway to supplement this anticipated annual revenue of $1.5 million with contributions with country partners and friends.  Palau is in the process of raising such funds and in establishing a companion Sanctuary Endowment Fund into which the contributions will be placed.

Much of this additional funding will go towards establishing a comprehensive surveillance and monitoring program to enforce the law.  This enhanced surveillance effort has, as a critical component continued and expanded  trans boundary cooperation in the Micronesia region with neighbors and primary partners, the United States, Japan, Australia and the Republic of China, Taiwan. 

-Visitor support of this fee is important to the sucess of this endeavor.  Palau must target visitors who realize that an additonal fee to protect Palau's environment is in everyone's best interest

-Industry cooperation is also essential.  Palau is working with it's airline and travel partners to implement the collection of this fee

- Soverign nations seeking to establish creative financing mechanisims for environmental conservation or other purposes need to be aware of the ripple effects to other sectors and stakeholders, however they also need to be aware of thier rights to implement these mechanisims in the global community.