Paufi Afelee said many visitors come to Tuvalu for development projects and research but some of the tourists who arrive are sceptics who think climate change is a hoax.
She said tourists who see the impact of global warming on Tuvalu are the ones who can help.
"Our natural resources cannot cater for mass tourism. So even though there's a push to increase our tourism numbers, it's more about catering for the type of tourist that can come here and actually learn about our way of life," she said.
