Sustainable Tourism: Benefits and Threats for MPA's

Abstract

Tourism is one of the largest global industries, with much of the growing market focused around pristine natural environments such as coastal and marine protected areas. MPAs (Marine Protected Area) are increasingly attracting interest from foreign visitors, as well as local residents. Tourism can benefit local communities and MPAs through revenue generation and employment. However, tourism can also threaten MPA resources by destroying habitat, disturbing wildlife, impacting water quality, and threaten communities by over-development, crowding, and disruption of local culture. In addition, conventional tourism often does not benefit the local community when tourist revenue “leaks” to outside operators. As a result, tourism can destroy the very resources on which it depends. In contrast, sustainable tourism is deliberately planned to benefit local residents, respect local culture, conserve natural resources, direct more of the profits to the local community and MPA, and educate both tourists and local residents about the importance of conservation. Stakeholders - those with an interest or stake in the decisions being made - should be involved at all stages of planning for any management endeavor in protected areas, including sustainable tourism in and around MPAs. Stakeholders include local community members, government, NGOs, as well as the tourism industry and the tourists, and many other groups. A first step in planning for sustainable tourism is to identify the stakeholders and open communications with them. Local communities, NGOs, and the tourism industry all need to collaborate to help produce sustainable tourism enterprises that are locally beneficial and also economically feasible. A first step In the planning process is “visioning” - developing a vision of the best possible tourism situation for your community and your MPA.