Sydney, 21st July 2026: The Room Residence welcomed travel industry leaders, partners and advisors for an evening of discussion focused on one of tourism's most important topics – how destinations and the travel industry can work together to create a more sustainable future.
Hosted in partnership with Palau Visitors Authority and Travel Daily, the event featured Laura Clarke, Co-Founder of the Palau Pledge, alongside Onorina Fugawai from Pacific Trade Invest Australia, with the discussion expertly moderated by Jo-Anne Hui-Miller.
Throughout the evening, guests heard how Palau has become one of the world's leading examples of destination stewardship, placing environmental protection, cultural preservation and community wellbeing at the centre of its tourism strategy.
A highlight of the discussion was the presentation of research undertaken with Cornell University, which examined traveller attitudes across international source markets. The findings identified Australia as a market strongly aligned with Palau's long-term vision for tourism, with Australian travellers demonstrating values that support responsible travel and meaningful cultural engagement.
Rather than focusing solely on visitor numbers, the conversation explored the importance of attracting travellers whose behaviours and values contribute positively to the destinations they visit. It reinforced the growing shift across the tourism industry towards measuring success through sustainability, community benefit and long-term destination resilience.
The event also highlighted the influential role travel professionals play throughout the customer journey. From the way destinations are presented to the conversations held during the planning process, travel advisors have a unique opportunity to inspire responsible travel choices before a guest even departs.
For Room-Res, creating opportunities for these conversations is an important part of The Room Residence vision. Beyond being an event space, The Room Residence has become a place where travel professionals, destinations and industry partners can come together to share ideas, explore emerging trends and strengthen industry collaboration.
"We're incredibly proud to have hosted this discussion alongside Palau Visitors Authority and Travel Daily," said Ray Howe, Brand & Retail Marketing Manager at Room-Res.com.
"Bringing together destinations, media and the travel trade to discuss the future of tourism is exactly the type of conversation we want The Room Residence to facilitate. When our industry shares knowledge and challenges each other to think differently, everyone benefits – especially the destinations we collectively support."
Room-Res extends its sincere thanks to Laura Clarke, Onorina Fugawai and Jo-Anne Hui-Miller for sharing their expertise, as well as everyone who attended and contributed to an engaging and thought-provoking evening.
As sustainability continues to shape the future of global tourism, Room-Res remains committed to supporting conversations that help the travel industry create positive outcomes for travellers, communities and destinations alike.
