Featured: Countries sign onto a joint declaration on ocean and climate action
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the slow pace of recovery, coastal and marine tourism remains one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world economy. For small island developing states (SIDS), tourism, including cruise tourism, is a major driver of economic growth and job creation, a major earner of foreign exchange and has been critical to […]
Following the COVID-19 caused shutdown in early 2020, the cruise industry began a return in early 2022 and over-optimistically expects to be back to normal in 2023. The restart was slow, and not without difficulties caused by the lingering effects of the pandemic. However, as requirements loosened for cross-border and international travel, passengers returned and […]
In the spirit of reconciliation, EarthCheck acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. EarthCheck recognises the Turrbal and Jagera people as the Traditional […]
Climate changes and increasing geopolitical attention have put Arctic destinations on the mental map—and bucket lists—of travellers around the globe. For this reason, the past decade has seen intense tourism development in many Arctic destinations in the Nordic countries, North America and Russia. While COVID-19 largely brought global tourism to a halt for more than […]
Collaboration for sustainable tourism development and management is a well-covered topic among both academics and practitioners, and it is an essential ingredient in sustainable tourism planning[1]. Globally, tourism has been the victim and the vector of socioeconomic and environmental problems, with coastal destinations experiencing economic deprivation, environmental degradation or both[2]. From a socioeconomic perspective, job […]
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 […]
The untapped potential of private sector involvement in marine governance In 2016, nations around the world committed to a 30×30 target—to ensure that 30 percent of the world’s ocean (and its land area) is protected and managed effectively and equitably by 2030[1]. In the marine realm, this has meant scaling up the establishment of marine […]
