Only 400 tourists can visit this beautiful little island at a time — here’s why

The fight against mass tourism has been in the news lately, as cities around the world look for ways to deter the hordes and preserve the quality of life for residents.

But there’s one stunning destination that most people have probably never heard of that plans to stay out of the spotlight — and it’s doing so by severely limiting the number of tourists allowed in for the past 40 years.

Welcome to Lord Howe Island, if you’re lucky enough to be one of the 400 people allowed in at a time.

“The more we can preserve that uniqueness, the more unique we will be in the world,” Anthony Riddle, a sixth-generation islander and businessman, told CNN.

Located 372 miles off the east coast of mainland Australia, this paradise destination is home to a permanent population of approximately 380 residents who respect and reserve their home as their ancestors have done for generations.

Tourism began to take off in 1947, but by the late 1970s, locals were already aware of the need to protect the island’s unique ecosystem — an effort that helped make Lord Howe a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. That’s when local leaders decided to limit tourism — a decision they’ve stuck to ever since.

And it seems to have worked.

Today, the island remains densely populated with rare plants and animals – some found nowhere else in the world – as do the ocean waters surrounding the seven-mile land mass.

More than 85% of the island is covered in native forest, and about 70% is in a permanent park reserve, prohibiting any development, according to Lord Howe Environmental Tours.

But thanks to the hard work of locals and conscious tourists, the days of Lord Howe’s natural beauty and wonder may be numbered: as the climate changes, coral bleaching is killing the reefs and the rainforest is dying.

However, this has not stopped the islanders from maintaining their eco-friendly lifestyle nor deterred tourists: the destination is booked until 2026.

Tourists come to swim in coral reefs, enjoy pristine beaches, hike in the cloud forest and participate in local conservation programs.

Dean Hiscox, who runs Lord Howe Environmental Tours, said people who live on or visit the island have a “common desire to ensure nature is at its best”.

“Families who have been here for five, six, seven generations have always recognized how special their way of life is here,” said Ian Hutton, a naturalist and photographer who has lived here since 1980.

“There is this strong generational feeling of wanting to protect your island.”