LONDON—The tourism industry could do more to help protect the marine and coastal ecosystems on which it relies, according to the January edition of greenhotelier. Exploring the value of natural assets such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, whales, dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, reef fish and other marine organisms, the magazine examines how tourism contributes to the degradation of marine and coastal environments and how its members can help redress the balance.
The article, “Protecting Our Coastal and Marine Environments” looks at the vulnerability of our coastal and marine ecosystems to threats such as climate change and tourism-related development. Issues include over-fishing and destructive fishing techniques, land and mangrove clearance for construction, intensive prawn farming and agriculture, sedimentation, water pollution and damage from boats and other marine recreation activities, high nutrient loading from improperly treated waste water, and increased solid waste from imported packaged food and drinks.
There are strong economic incentives for the tourism industry to be more proactive—not only to avoid stressing the natural assets from which it benefits financially but also because it is known that protection of coral reefs and mangroves costs far less than neglect. Governments, planners, developers, hotel associations, cruise lines and other tourism industry operators need to work together with community members and adopt integrated coastal zone management strategies. This includes working within (and where necessary helping to improve and better enforce) relevant regulatory frameworks in order to conserve, protect and rehabilitate the marine environment.
One way to do this is by setting up more marine protected areas in destinations where ecosystems are threatened and taking an active role in their management—for example helping with education, setting constraints on numbers, leveraging visitor fees and ensuring the proceeds are used for effective species protection schemes. Only 1 percent of our oceans are currently protected in this way.
Among the examples of best practices highlighted are:
• The Maluane ecotourism project in Northern Mozambique which has worked with the Zoological Society of London to train seven people from the local fishing village in marine conservation techniques.
• The Collaborative Community-based Reef Conservation Programme at Wakatobi Dive Resort in South East Sulawesi, Indonesia.
• Chumbe Island Coral Park in Zanzibar, a small, privately managed marine park.
• Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts’ contribution to reef conservation through a variety of pioneering techniques and international collaborations.
• Blue Ventures’ partnership with the village of Andavadoaka on Madagascar’s southwest coast to help protect marine resources.
• Sea turtle protection initiatives at Le Meridien, Bora Bora in French Polynesia and the JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa, Thailand.
• Investment by Regent Seven Seas Cruises in advanced on-board solid and liquid waste management technology, together with the decision to cease captive dolphin encounter excursions.
Go to greenhotelier.
