Coral Reef Ecosystems and Sustainable Tourism in Small Island States

Coral Reef Ecosystems and Sustainable Tourism in Small Island States: Areas for Synergy in Action and Development

Helen Sykes and Randy Thaman

Download as pdf: Coral Reef Ecosystems and Sustainable Tourism in Small Island States: Areas for Synergy in Action and Development

Objective

To develop guidelines, supportive materials and models for accreditation or certification that can provide a basis for using good coral reef ecosystem science, including both the most up-to-date modern and traditional hard and social science, as a basis for making tourism more ecologically, economically and culturally sustainable in the Pacific Islands.

Rationale and Issues

Tourism is already the major and most sustainable form of income generation in many Pacific Island
Most Pacific Island tourism depends on a healthy marine environment as one of its major selling points
Most detrimental changes in coral reef health have been linked to human activities, including tourism among many others
Academic and scientific institutions have gained an increased understanding of the factors affecting coral reef ecosystem health over the past 20 years
There is an urgent need to put this knowledge into practical application within the tourism industry

Sustainable tourism and ecotourism certification programmes are already in place around the world. (E.g. Costa Rica). Standards for sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism are more recent, but also in place, (E.g. Australian Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). Many of these rely on a well-educated general population.

For Fiji and the South Pacific region, a combination of sustainable practices needs to be supported by suitable education and awareness, and PRACTICAL application of programmes to coral reef-friendly tourism.

BlueStar Coral Reef Tourism

An education and recognition programme with a sliding scale that can be awarded as tourism operations attain improved levels of sustainability. Recognition will be on a “Five-Star Scale” of Blue Starfish

5-point Focus

Non-Destructive use of Coral Reefs as attractions
Protection and restoration of Coral Reefs
Addressing the main threats to unsustainable use of Coral Reefs
Promotion of Coral Reef Education and Awareness
Promotion of Stakeholder Wellbeing and Poverty Alleviation

5 elements for BlueStar Certification

1. Staff training

Initial Staff Training completed using the BlueStar Reef Tourism Course
Annual Staff Training committed to

2. Environment Committee formed:

To consist of one representative from each department who have undergone BlueStar training, plus representatives from the local community where applicable.
To meet once a month to review training of staff, implementation of environmental management plan, and to raise any environmental issues occurring.

3. Environmental Management Plan written

Specific activities to be undertaken by each operation, with timeframe
An outline of this will be developed during the staff training

4. Guest Interpretive Activities put in place:

Information on the marine environment to be available to guests
Information on how to take part in reef-based activities without causing damage to be available to guests
Interpretive and actively conservation-minded components to be built into all marine-based guest activities.