Planning and marketing of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism: lessons for policy

1. Planning and marketing of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism: lessons for policy David Macaulay Bruce http://tourism-research.org

2. Marine Ecotourism for the Atlantic Area (META-)

3. A Two Year Project(Jan 2000 to December 2001) • EU Interreg IIc Atlantic Area Programme • part of the implementation of: • The European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) (1999) • Aim of which is to achieve ‘spatially balanced and sustainable development for the EU territory as a whole’ • Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (now ODPM)UK • Funding (total including partners c.€500000)

4. The ‘EU Atlantic Area’ • Bristol Group • for Tourism • Research (BGTR), • UWE, Bristol • (Lead Partner) • David Bruce (BBS) • Dr Brian Garrod (ESS) • Dr Julie Wilson (FBE) Marine Institute, Dublin with West Clare Torbay Council, with South West Tourism MBA Escuela, Gran Canaria

5. What is Marine Ecotourism? • Marine ecotourism is tourism that is based on enabling people to experience the natural coastal and marine environments in a manner that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development • ( A Delphi Study helped in definition)

6. Examples of activities that may be marine ecotourism • watching whales and dolphins • watching sea birds • diving and snorkelling • nature-based sight-seeing trips • rock-pooling and beach walking • visiting seashore and sea life centres

7. META- Project Aims • To generate appropriate guidance on spatial planning (ESDP) • To identify and evaluate • opportunities for diversification into marine ecotourism, • products to enhance the quality of tourism provision • To reinforce the economic regeneration and social cohesion of coastal communities

8. Tourism and Ecotourism • Tourism is reputed to be the world’s largest industry • 10% of world GDP, • employs 1 in 10 of the global workforce • international tourism alone causes over 3% of global warming (more than UK as a whole)

9. Tourism and Ecotourism • Ecotourism is thought to be the fastest growing segment of the world tourism industry (10% - 30% p.a.) • Now thought to be worth €11 - €19 billion p.a. worldwide (Hoyt) • Whale watching alone is thought to involve €121 million direct and indirect expenditures across Europe as a whole (€96 million in the EU Atlantic Area)

10. Marine ecotourism as an instrument of regeneration • It offers an opportunity to achieve development by means of an activity that has the potential to be genuinely sustainable • Nature experiences can be an area of comparative advantage for peripheral communities • It offers an opportunity to redeploy existing resources currently employed in run-down sectors of the economy

11. Marine ecotourism as an instrument of regeneration • It can help to address the seasonality problem • It represents product diversification as well as market diversification • Ecotourism tends to be associated with lower rates of leakage, and hence greater multiplier effects

12. Project Deliverablesdown load from tourism-research.org • a Blueprint for Responsible Marketing • good practice and ‘eco-label’ recommendations • Planning Good Practice Guidance Document: • policy guidance on spatial planning for marine ecotourism

13. The META- Model • For Marine Ecotourism Planning Good Practice • Sets out the principles for genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism • Offers advice on action and implementation through 'toolkits'

14. The META- Model of Marine Ecotourism Planning Good Practice The META- Model for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area Sustainability Principles: • Enabling ‘bottom-up’ • Environmental protection • Education and interpretation • Balance of statutory and voluntaryapproaches • Collaborative approach • Responsible marketing • Continual monitoring of actions against principles of genuinely sustainable marine ecotourism Enabling a bottom-up approach Environmental Protection Education and Interpretation Principles of Genuinely Sustainable Voluntarism Marine Ecotourism Collaboration Responsible Marketing 'Tool book' Toolkits: Responsible Marketing Dimension Voluntary Measures Toolkit Economic Impact Assessment Toolkit Audit and Review Toolkit Community-Based Planning Toolkit Education and Interpretation Toolkit Transport Impact Awareness Toolkit actions for implementing the principles Continual monitoring against the principles of marine ecotourism

15. the European the Regional (EU Atlantic Area) the Local needs a transnational approach: marine wildlife ignorant of political or planning boundaries A ‘precautionary’ approach: little is known about the targeted species or ecotourism’s possible impacts Policy at Different Levels • Footnote: a fulltext version of the policy lessons is available

16. Policy Lessons • At European level • Co-ordination • Funding • Responsible Promotion • Eco-awareness

17. At Regional level (the EU Atlantic Area) Encourage ‘Import Substitution’ European Domestic Tourism Supplement Europe’s global product Responsible Marketing Enabling local initiatives Co-use of (eg) transport resources Policy Lessons

18. At local level Adopt ‘the Principles of Genuinely Sustainable Marine Ecotourism’ Use Existing Laws Develop Voluntary Structures/ Codes of Conduct Seek Complementarity with existing tourism Policy Lessons

19. The META- Model of Marine Ecotourism Planning Good Practice The META- Model for Marine Ecotourism in the EU Atlantic Area Sustainability • Toolkits: • Community-based planning toolkit • Education and interpretation toolkit • Transport awareness toolkit • Economic impact assessment toolkit • Voluntary codes toolkit • Audit and review toolkit Enabling a bottom-up approach Environmental Protection Education and Interpretation Principles of Genuinely Sustainable Voluntarism Marine Responsible Marketing Ecotourism Collaboration Responsible Marketing 'Tool book' Toolkits: Responsible Marketing Dimension Voluntary Measures Toolkit Economic Impact Assessment Toolkit Audit and Review Toolkit Community-Based Planning Toolkit Education and Interpretation Toolkit Transport Impact Awareness Toolkit actions for implementing the principles Continual monitoring against the principles of marine ecotourism

20. Responsible Marketing • Can have a critical effect on the tourist’s expectations and hence on the impacts of the trip • Needs to be ‘supply-led’ rather than ‘demand-led’! • Local participation (not just consultation) is essential • See the ‘blueprint’ at tourism-research.org

21. Accredited Marketing and Management • FIRST self audit and review • PREPARe is proposed (see toolkit) • THEN External Accreditation for a recognised eco-label • to distinguish the good operators from those just using ecotourism as a marketing ploy

22. To sum up • The EU Atlantic Area potential to compete with the major ecotourism destinations such as Australia • Particular potential for offering ecotourism experiences within holidays to lengthen stay • Taking holidays closer to home to reduce the transport intensity of ecotourism

23. The META- PROJECT fulfilling INTERREG objectives • Spatial Planning and regeneration implications of Marine Ecotourism • Sustainability in a Marine Ecotourism context • Transnational outcomes from transnational work • Marketing related to ESDP priorities • A book published on Marine Ecotourism www.tourism-research.org