Marine Tourism

The sea offers many opportunities for recreation and tourism purposes and in practical terms it is a source of food and transport. In the past, most of our marine environment was ‘protected’ from tourist use by its inaccessibility, safety concerns and the relatively high cost of recreating in the sea. Through recent decades, significant advances in technology and the increase in international travel have made marine environments more accessible both in real and economic terms. Coastal and marine tourism has become a huge business that forms a significant component of the growing global tourism industry. Marine Tourism examines successful and unsuccessful tourism with regard to the marine environment. Providing an overview of the history and development of tourism centred around the marine environment, the author goes on to examine the characteristics of marine tourists and considers the roles of ‘vendors’ of marine tourism activities and opportunities.
The final section examines the impacts of tourist activities on marine ecosystems and coastal-based communities and explores management techniques which may be appropriate in reducing negative impacts and maximising the benefits of marine tourism.