Contributors: Manoj Sharma, Steven Schipani and Sanya Grover   The world’s oceans have inspired travel and tourism for generations, with marine and coastal tourism (MCT) growing constantly from the mid-20th century until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic[1]. In 2019, the travel and tourism sector contributed 10.3 percent to global gross domestic product (GDP), with […]

The natural values underpinning coastal tourism Coasts and oceans variously provide a backdrop or take centre stage in tourism activities ranging from cruise and beach holidays, to urban vacations in coastal cities, to gastronomic and adventure tourism. In settings with few economic alternatives, this tourism can be a social and economic foundation. Despite a general […]

Coastal and marine tourism, a key sector under threat The health of the marine environment and the services its ecosystems provide are central to ocean and coastal tourism and underpin the blue economies of  communities around the globe. Millions of tourists seek out coral reefs, crystal-clear waters, sandy beaches and colourful marine life in coastal […]

Many coastal tourism destinations, defined as a specific geographic territories where tourism is one of many sectors in the local economy, have a high level of vulnerability to climate change, which puts them in considerable danger over multiple timescales[1]. This essay briefly considers factors that determine destination resilience, outlines the threats faced by coastal destinations […]

Co-author: Fernanda Rodak, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Project Coordinator—Sustainability & Social Responsibility   “When humans are faced with adversity, there is an opportunity to make change.” —Prasad Kariyawasam[1]   The COVID-19 pandemic has painfully proven that tourism destinations must be resilient not only to recover from the current crisis but, also and more important, to […]