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Impact of tourism in coastal areas: Need of sustainable tourism strategy

This article discusses the current status of coastal tourism , the associated issues and impacts. The article further provides recommendations for future management of coastal tourism.

• 1 Introduction
• 2.1 Causes of coastal degradation
• 3.1 Tourist infrastructure
• 3.2 Careless resorts, operators, and tourists
• 5.1 Environmental impacts
• 5.2 Impacts on biodiversity
• 5.3 Socio-cultural impacts
• 6.1 Economic benefits
• 6.2 Environmental Management and Planning benefits
• 6.3 Socio-cultural benefits
• 7.1 Analysis of status-quo
• 7.2 Strategy development
• 7.3 Action plan
• 8 Conclusions
• 9.1 External links
• 9.2 Internal Links
• 10 References

Introduction

Since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, there is increasing awareness of the importance of sustainable forms of tourism. Although tourism , one of the world largest industries, was not the subject of a chapter in Agenda 21 , the Programme for the further implementation of Agenda 21, adopted by the General Assembly at its nineteenth special session in 1997, included sustainable tourism as one of its sectoral themes. Furthermore in 1996, The World Tourism Organization jointly with the tourism private sector issued an Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry, with 19 specific areas of action recommended to governments and private operators towards sustainability in tourism.

On the other hand, an analysis of the sustainability policies, strategies and instruments of 21 European countries revealed a gap between good theoretical approaches and the general willingness to support a sustainable tourism development and the realisation of it, and concluded that in hardly any of the countries is sustainable tourism put in the centre of the national tourism policy as a priority area [1] .

Specific situation of coastal areas

Coastal areas are transitional areas between the land and sea characterized by a very high biodiversity. They include some of the richest and most fragile ecosystems on earth, like mangroves and coral reefs . At the same time, coasts are under very high population pressure due to rapid urbanization processes. More than half of today’s world population live in coastal areas (within 60 km from the sea) and this number is on the rise.

Additionally, among all different parts of the planet, coastal areas are those which are most visited by tourists and in many coastal areas tourism presents the most important economic activity. In the Mediterranean region for example, tourism is the first economic activity for islands like Cyprus, Malta, the Balearic Islands and Sicily.

Forecast studies carried out by WTO in 2000 estimated that international tourist arrivals to the Mediterranean coast would amount to 270 millions in 2010 and to 346 millions in 2020. However, the latter figure was reached already in 2015 [2] .

Causes of coastal degradation

Tourisms often contributes to coastal degradation. There are many other causes:

• Coastal zone urbanization
• Fisheries and aquaculture
• Port development and shipping
• Land reclamation
• Land-use conversion (Agriculture, Industrial development)
• Climate change and sea level rise

See also Threats to the coastal zone .

How does tourism damage coastal environment

Massive influxes of tourists, often to a relatively small area, have a huge impact. They add to the pollution, waste, and water needs of the local population, putting local infrastructure and habitats under enormous pressure. For example, 85% of the 1.8 million people who visit Australia's Great Barrier Reef are concentrated in two small areas, Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands, which together have a human population of about 130,000.

Tourist infrastructure

In many areas, massive new tourist infrastructure has been built - including airports, marinas, resorts, and golf courses. Overdevelopment for tourism has the same problems as other coastal developments, but often has a greater impact as the tourist developments are located at or near fragile marine ecosystems . A few examples:

• mangrove forests and seagrass meadows have been removed to create open beaches;
• tourist developments such as piers and other structures have been built directly on top of coral reefs ;
• nesting sites for endangered marine turtles have been destroyed and disturbed by large numbers of tourists on the beaches.

Careless resorts, operators, and tourists

The damage is not only due to the construction of tourist infrastructure. Some tourist resorts empty their sewage and other wastes directly into water surrounding coral reefs and other sensitive marine habitats . Recreational activities also have a strong impact. For example, careless boating, diving, snorkeling, and fishing have substantially damaged coral reefs in many parts of the world, through people touching reefs, stirring up sediment , and dropping anchors. Marine animals such as whale sharks, seals, dugongs, dolphins, whales, and birds are also disturbed by increased numbers of boats, and by people approaching too closely. Tourism can also add to the consumption of seafood in an area, putting pressure on local fish populations and sometimes contributing to overfishing. Collection of corals, shells, and other marine souvenirs - either by individual tourists, or local people who then sell the souvenirs to tourists - also has a detrimental effect on the local environment.

The case of cruise ship tourism

Cruise ship tourism is a fast growing sector of the tourism industry during the past decades. While world international tourist arrivals in the period 1990 – 1999 grew at an accumulative annual rate of 4.2%, that of cruises did by 7.7%. In 1990 there were 4.5 million international cruise arrivals which had increased to a number of 8.7 million in 1999 and to 27 million in 2019, with gross economic benefits estimated at $150 billion in direct, indirect and induced economic benefits [3] [4] . From the 1980s to 2018, the global cruise fleet grew from 79 to 369 vessels operating worldwide, and the average cruise ship size and capacity grew from 19.000 to 60.000 gross registered tonnage (GRT). Carrying on average 4,000 passengers and 1,670 crew, these enormous floating towns are a major source of marine pollution through the dumping of garbage and untreated sewage at sea, and the release of other shipping-related pollutants.

Problems caused by cruise tourism are ubiquitous and well-documented, especially for small island nations and the Mediterranean [5] [6] .

• Discharge of sewage in marinas and nearshore coastal areas . The lack of adequate port reception facilities for solid waste, especially in many small islands, as well as the frequent lack of garbage storing facilities on board can result in solid wastes being disposed of at sea, and being transported by wind and currents to shore often in locations distant from the original source of the material.
• Coral reefs. Land-based activities such as port development and the dredging that inevitably accompanies it in order to receive cruise ships with sometimes more than 3000 passengers can significantly degrade coral reefs through the build-up of sediment . Furthermore, sand mining at the beaches leads to coastal erosion . In the Cayman Islands damage has been done by cruise ships dropping anchor on the reefs. Scientists have acknowledged that more than 300 acres of coral reef have already been lost to cruise ship anchors in the harbour at George Town, the capital of Grand Cayman.
• Socio-cultural impacts. Cruise-ship tourism can produce socio-cultural stress, since it means that during very short periods there is high influx of people, sometimes more than the local inhabitants of small islands, possibly overrunning local communities. Vital resources such as food, energy, land, water, etc. may become depleted.
• Ship emissions. Fuel-based cruise ships currently produce large amounts of greenhouse gases. The gradual replacement is only now starting. From the approximately 100 new builds planned up to 2027, one-fifth are LNG powered, corresponding to 39% of the new tonnage and 41% of the added capacity [7] .

Cruise tourism is often ascribed as hedonistic. However, a positive effect of expedition cruise tourism is its educational and awareness-creation potential for sustainability values and issues. It can transform a ‘sense of place’ to a ‘care of place’, encouraging tourists and locals to assume more responsibility [8] .

Impacts of coastal tourism

Environmental impacts

• The intensive use of land by tourism and leisure facilities
• Overuse of water resources, especially groundwater, leading to soil subsidence and saline intrusion
• Changes in the landscape due to the construction of infrastructure, buildings and facilities
• Vulnerability to natural hazards and sea level rise
• Pollution of marine and freshwater resources
• Energy demand and consumption
• Air pollution and waste
• Disturbance of fauna and local people (for example, by noise)
• Loss of marine resources due to destruction of coral reefs , overfishing
• Compaction and sealing of soils, soil degradation due to overuse of fertilizers and loss of land resources (e.g. desertification , erosion )
• Loss of public access

Impacts on biodiversity

Tourism can cause loss of biodiversity in many ways, e.g. by competing with wildlife for habitat and natural resources or by providing pathways for the introduction of alien species. Negative impacts on biodiversity are caused by various other factors, such as those mentioned above.

Socio-cultural impacts

Change of local identity and values:

• Commercialization of local culture: Tourism can turn local culture into commodities when religious traditions, local customs and festivals are reduced to conform to tourist expectations and resulting in what has been called "reconstructed ethnicity".
• Standardization: Destinations risk standardization in the process of tourists desires and satisfaction: while landscape, accommodation, food and drinks, etc., must meet the tourists expectation for the new and unfamiliar situation. They must at the same time not be too new or strange because few tourists are actually looking for completely new things. This factor damages the variation and beauty of diverse cultures.
• Adaptation to tourist demands: Tourists want to collect souvenirs, arts, crafts, cultural manifestations. In many tourist destinations, craftsmen have responded to the growing demand and have made changes in the design of their products to make them more attractive to the new customers. Cultural erosion may occur in the process of commercializing cultural traditions.

Cultural clashes may arise through:

• Economic inequality - between locals and tourists who are spending more than they usually do at home.
• Irritation due to tourist behaviour - Tourists often, out of ignorance or carelessness, fail to respect local customs and moral values.
• Job level friction - due to a lack of professional training, many low-paid tourism-jobs go to local people while higher-paying and more prestigious managerial jobs go to foreigners or "urbanized" nationals.

Benefits of Sustainable coastal tourism

Economic benefits.

The main positive economic impacts of sustainable (coastal) tourism are: contributions to government revenues, foreign exchange earnings, generation of employment and business opportunities. Employing over 3.2 million people, coastal tourism generates a total of € 183 billion in gross value added and represents over one third of the maritime economy of the European Union. As much as 51% of bed capacity in hotels across Europe is concentrated in regions with a sea border [10] .

Contribution to government revenues Government revenues from the tourism sector can be categorised as direct and indirect contributions. Direct contributions are generated by income taxes from tourism and employment due to tourism, tourism businesses and by direct charges on tourists such as ecotax. Indirect contributions derive from taxes and duties on goods and services supplied to tourists, for example, taxes on tickets (or entry passes to any protected areas), souvenirs, alcohol, restaurants, hotels, service of tour operators.

Foreign exchange earnings Tourism expenditures, the export and import of related goods and services generate income to the host economy. Tourism is a main source of foreign exchange earnings for at least 38 % of all countries.

Employment generation The rapid expansion of international tourism has led to significant employment creation. Tourism can generate jobs directly through hotels, restaurants, taxis, souvenir sales and indirectly through the supply of goods and services needed by tourism-related businesses (e.g. conducted tour operators). Tourism represents around 7 % of the world’s employees. Tourism can influence the local government to improve the infrastructure by creating better water and sewage systems, roads, electricity, telephone and public transport networks. All this can improve the standard of living for residents as well as facilitate tourism.

Contribution to local economies Tourism can be a significant or even an essential part of the local economy. As environment is a basic component of the tourism industry’s assets, tourism revenues are often used to measure the economic value of protected areas. Part of the tourism income comes from informal employment, such as street vendors and informal guides. The positive side of informal or unreported employment is that the money is returned to the local economy and has a great multiplier effect as it is spent over and over again. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) estimates that tourism generates an indirect contribution equal to 100 % of direct tourism expenditures.

Direct financial contributions to nature protection Tourism can contribute directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitats . Revenue from park-entrance fees and similar sources can be allocated specifically to pay for the protection and management of environmentally sensitive areas. Some governments collect money in more far-reaching and indirect ways that are not linked to specific parks or conservation areas. User fees, income taxes, taxes on sales or rental of recreation equipment and license fees for activities such as hunting and fishing can provide governments with the funds needed to manage natural resources.

Competitive advantage More and more tour operators take an active approach towards sustainability. Not only because consumers expect them to do so but also because they are aware that intact destinations are essential for the long term survival of the tourism industry. More and more tour operators prefer to work with suppliers who act in a sustainable manner, e.g. saving water and energy, respecting the local culture and supporting the well-being of local communities. In 2000 the international Tour Operators initiative for Sustainable Tourism was founded with the support of UNEP. In 2014 it merged with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) .

Environmental Management and Planning benefits

Sound and efficient environmental management of tourism facilities and especially hotels (e.g.water and energy saving measures, waste minimization, use of environmentally friendly material) can decrease the environmental impact of tourism. Planning helps to make choices between the conflicting interests of industry and tourism, in order to find ways to make them compatible. Planning sustainable tourism development strategy at an early stage prevents damages and expensive mistakes, thereby avoiding the gradual deterioration of the quality of environmental goods and services significant to tourism.

Socio-cultural benefits

Tourism as a force for peace Travelling brings people into contact with each other. As sustainable tourism has an educational element it can foster understanding between people and cultures and provide cultural exchange between guests and hosts. This increases the chances for people to develop mutual sympathy, tolerance and understanding and to reduce prejudices and promote the sense of global brotherhood.

Strengthening communities Sustainable Coastal Tourism can add to the vitality of communities in many ways. For example through events and festivals of the local communities where they have been the primary participants and spectators. Often these are refreshed, reincarnated and developed in response to tourists’ interests. The jobs created by tourism can act as a very important motivation to reduce emigration from rural areas. Local people can also increase their influence on tourism development, as well as improve their jobs and earnings prospects through tourism-related professional training and development of business and organizational skills.

Revitalization of culture and traditions Sustainable Tourism can also improve the preservation and transmission of cultural and historical traditions . Contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources can bring opportunities to protect local heritage or to revitalize native cultures, for instance by regenerating traditional arts and crafts.

Encouragement social involvement and pride In some situations, tourism also helps to raise local awareness concerning the financial value of natural and cultural sites. It can stimulate a feeling of pride in local and national heritage and interest in its conservation. More broadly, the involvement of local communities in sustainable tourism development and operation seems to be an important condition for the sustainable use and conservation of the biodiversity .

Benefits for the tourists of Sustainable Tourism The benefits of sustainable tourism for visitors are plenty: they can enjoy unspoiled nature and landscapes, environmental quality of goods or services (clean air and water), a healthy community with low crime rate, thriving and authentic local culture and traditions.

Sustainable Tourism Strategy

The sustainable management of tourism is a complex managerial undertaking, requiring the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups, at local, regional and international levels. It entails a large set of actors and stakeholders, ranging from tour operators, industry associations and NGOs to local public authorities, businesses and independent small vendors. Indirectly, ‘producing holiday experiences’ involves entire communities and is subject to a multiplicity of motives, interests and perspectives [7] . In other words, the tourism economy consists of an entire network of institutional and business actors, that should be engaged in sustainable practices through rules and incentives.

Below a few steps are listed for the development and implementation of a strategy for sustainable tourism.

Analysis of status-quo

• Analysis of previous tourism management strategies for the specific area: What can be used? Has it been implemented? Which lessons are to be learnt?
• A stakeholder analysis: Who has an interest in sustainable tourism development? Who are the main actors?
• Facts and figures of the local educational system, economic and social structure
• Anecdotal and traditional knowledge

This information can be collected through

• Interviews with stakeholders
• Questionnaires distributed and collected by e-mail, fax or personally in order to compile standardised data and perform a statistical analysis
• Participation in focus group meetings (e.g. meetings on environmental education, biodiversity management, good governance and fisheries)
• Literature search (including the local library)

Strategy development

A Sustainable Tourism Strategy is based on the information collected. It defines the priority issues, the stakeholder community, the potential objectives and a set of methodologies to reach these objectives. These include:

• Conservation of specific coastal landscapes or habitats that make the area attractive or protected under nature conservation legislation
• Development of regionally specific sectors of the economy that can be interlinked with the tourism sector (e.g. production of food specialities and handicrafts)
• Maximising local revenues from tourism investments
• Enabling self-determined cultural development in the region, etc.

Action plan

The Action Plan describes the steps needed to implement the strategy and addresses a number of practical questions such as: which organizations will take up which activities, over what time frame, by what means and with which resources? As the actions have to be considered on the basis of regional circumstances, there is no standard action plan for all. However, Action Plans usually include measures in the following fields:

• Administration: e.g. promotion of co-operation between sectors and of cross-sectorial development models; involving local people in drafting tourism policy and decisions
• Socio-economical sector: e.g. promoting local purchasing of food and building material; setting up networks of local producers for better marketing; development of new products to meet the needs of tourists, etc.
• Environment: e.g. improving control and enforcement of environmental standards (noise, drinking water, bathing water, waste-water treatment, etc.); identification and protection of endangered habitats; creation of buffer zones around sensitive natural areas; prohibition of environmentally harmful sports in jeopardised regions; strict application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment procedures on all tourism related projects and programs
• Knowledge: training people involved in coastal tourism about the value of historical heritage; environmental management; training protected area management staff in nature interpretation; raising environmental awareness among the local population; introducing a visitors information programme (including environmental information)

Conclusions

During the last century, the role of beaches has completely reversed: they have become the driving force behind economic welfare instead of just being an inhospitable place. Demographic pressure, excessive land use and related factors, both in the hinterland (e.g. river dams, water diversion) and on the beach itself (e.g. hard coastal protection structures , sand/coral mining), have led to a general decrease in the contribution of sediments to the maintenance of the beaches and foreshores. It is hard to find a unique solution for all those problems. However, the following points are essential:

• The implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management
• A better dissemination of the existing information should be achieved. For that purpose, a better coordination of the existing governmental bodies that deal with coastal management is necessary
• Improvement of environmental education is a precondition for sustainable development of the coast

External links

https://www.gstcouncil.org/ The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is managing the GSTC Criteria, global standards for sustainable travel and tourism; as well as providing international accreditation for sustainable tourism Certification Bodies.

Internal Links

• Coastal pollution and impacts
• Threats to the coastal zone
• ↑ Dickhut, H. and Tenger, A. (eds.) 2022. Review and Analysis of Policies, Strategies and Instruments for Boosting Sustainable Tourism in Europe. European SME Going Green 2030 Report, p. 505
• ↑ https://www.f-cca.com/downloads/2018-Cruise-Industry-Overview-and-Statistics.pdf 2018 Cruise Industry Overview]
• ↑ Papathanassis, A. 2022. Cruise tourism. In D. Buhalis (ed), Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 687–690
• ↑ Moscovici, D. (2017) Environmental Impacts of Cruise Ships on Island Nations, Peace Review, 29: 366-373
• ↑ Caric, H. and Mackelworth, P, (2014) Cruise tourism environmental impacts – The perspective from the Adriatic Sea. Ocean & Coastal Management. 102: 350-363
• ↑ 7.0 7.1 Papathanassis, A. 2023. A decade of ‘blue tourism’ sustainability research: Exploring the impact of cruise tourism on coastal areas. Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures 1: 1–11
• ↑ Walker, K. and Moscardo, G. 2016. Moving beyond sense of place to care of place: The role of indigenous values and interpretation in promoting transformative change in tourists’ place images and personal values. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 24: 1243–1261
• ↑ International Tourism Highlights (2019) https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284421152
• ↑ Ecorys (2016) Study on specific challenges for a sustainable development of coastal and maritime tourism in Europe EC Maritime Affairs
• Articles by Lal Mukherjee, Abir
• Reviewed articles
• Integrated coastal zone management
• This page was last edited on 5 May 2023, at 17:28.
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Red Sea Global CEO on Why The Red Sea Heralds a New Era in Global Tourism

Red Sea Global + Skift

December 11th, 2023 at 10:00 AM EST

As Red Sea Global opens its first destination, it’s moving the needle from traditional sustainability to regeneration. The focus on regeneration marks a shift in industry standards, with potential lessons on how tourism can more actively benefit local communities and environments.

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This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Destinations worldwide are grappling with the challenge of balancing industry growth with environmental preservation. For Red Sea Global, the goal isn’t just sustainability — it’s restoration and rebuilding. Delivering on its promise of regeneration , Red Sea Global has officially announced the opening of its first destination, The Red Sea. For the developer, the launch marks a new chapter in global tourism, where development and ecological upliftment go hand in hand.

SkiftX sat down with John Pagano, group chief executive officer at Red Sea Global, to discuss the launch of The Red Sea and what it means for the future of destination development.

SkiftX: With travel impacts increasingly under scrutiny, why do you believe regenerative tourism holds the key to shaping a responsible future for the industry?

John Pagano: Pressure from consumers is growing. According to a report by Euromonitor International , 80 percent of travelers are willing to pay at least 10 percent more for sustainable journeys. Given the role of tourism in pollution and climate change, we see a moral obligation to go beyond just meeting this demand.

More importantly, sustainable tourism aims to protect the environment, but that’s not enough to contribute meaningfully to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To do this, we need to actively enhance the environment and local communities, which is why we believe regenerative tourism is the future.

SkiftX: How has The Red Sea created a regenerative tourism blueprint that other destinations can use as a benchmark and look to adopt?

Pagano: We undertook a comprehensive marine spatial planning simulation in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, which helped to inform our final plan and gauge the impact of development on the environment. Consequently, we decided to develop only 22 of the over 90 islands at The Red Sea and designated nine as special conservation zones.

By 2040, we aim for a 30 percent net conservation benefit at our destinations by enhancing biologically diverse habitats, including mangroves, seagrass, corals, and land vegetation. Our marine biology team monitors about 300 coral reef sites, and we’re in the pilot phase of creating artificial reefs, exploring what structures and types of materials would promote growth and enable marine species to not only survive but thrive, for generations to come. Our Mangrove Nursery aims to plant 50 million mangrove trees by 2030 in partnership with the National Center for Vegetation Cover.

Both The Red Sea and Amaala will run on 100 percent renewable energy. We’ve installed five solar farms at The Red Sea and laid our 760,000th photovoltaic panel for Phase One.

We’re also committed to local community development and have contributed to the creation of 120,000 jobs across the Kingdom, offering vocational training in various fields. Additionally, our English for Tourism program helps equip young Saudis with essential language skills for the industry.

SkiftX: What’s the current status of The Red Sea destination, and what can travelers expect when they visit?

Pagano: We’re excited to announce that The Red Sea is now open. Six Senses Southern Dunes welcomed its first guests in November, and The St. Regis Red Sea Resort on Ummahat Islands is also accepting bookings. Nujuma, one of only six Ritz-Carlton Reserves worldwide, will open in early 2024.

Serving these hotels is The Red Sea International Airport, which celebrated its first flight in September. Already the airport has a busy schedule of domestic flights, with international routes coming soon.

When The Red Sea is completed in 2030, the destination will be home to 50 hotels across 22 islands and six inland sites. It will include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment options, F&B outlets, and leisure facilities, underlining our commitment to the future of global tourism.

SkiftX: What challenges have you encountered in realizing this vision, and how have you navigated them?

Pagano: When we started six years ago, we knew that delivering our vision would be challenging given the sheer scale of The Red Sea destination. The area spans over 10,810 miles (28,000 square kilometers), bigger than almost a third of European countries.

The destination requires a large workforce, which raises an urgent need to upskill the local population. We’re creating a substantial pool of qualified professionals through our vocational training programs in partnership with the Human Resources Development Fund and King Abdulaziz University.

We’re also developing sandy islands, sweeping deserts, and mountain crags — varied terrain presenting multiple accessibility challenges. We’ve ensured that our employees, consultants, and partners follow the United Nations-backed Accessible Tourism For All guidelines, putting accessibility at the heart of the construction process. Every request for proposal and every contract awarded from our design, architecture, and development team adheres to this standard.

SkiftX: Engaging with the local community seems to be an important part of Red Sea Global’s strategy. How have local insights and needs shaped the development of the destination?

Pagano: A focus on community underpins all our activities. This involves regular dialogue with elders to seek their approval on local initiatives, as well as the launch of a partnership with the University of Tabuk to research the socio-economic and cultural standing of the communities around The Red Sea and Amaala. This study will also guide our future plans for other destinations and help us create social programs aimed at building a more entrepreneurial and economically stronger Saudi Arabia.

We’ve also launched socioeconomic empowerment projects such as Souq Amerah, a local market where farmers, craftsmen, and artists showcase and sell foods, merchandise, crafts, and other products. The market hosted traditional music performances and cultural heritage workshops in a “Tent of Tales.” The ambition is to showcase and celebrate the community’s traditions and talents and bring Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural history to a broader audience in an engaging format. This will help us improve the quality of life for the people we’re proud to call our neighbors.

SkiftX: How does Red Sea Global’s approach align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how are you ensuring measurable contributions?

Pagano: Our work aligns with all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. For example, The Red Sea will be the world’s largest destination powered solely by renewable energy, achieving SDG 7, “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.” At the same time, The Red Sea and Amaala will contribute a combined $8.8 billion (SAR33 billion) boost to Saudi Arabia’s GDP, achieving SDGl 8, “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.”

SDG 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development,” is also a major focus area as we nurture the thriving marine ecosystem along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. We use floating nurseries with about 8,000 coral colonies and draw on the latest marine technologies to monitor their health and growth. We’re committed to tracking and openly reporting our progress, as seen in our annual Sustainability Report that covers all our projects.

Our Environmental Baseline Survey, the largest by a property developer, examined wildlife and habitats along 125 miles (200 kilometers) of the Red Sea coast. The study helped us track endangered species such as the Hawksbill turtle and Sooty falcon and is helping us achieve significant conservation benefits by 2040.

SkiftX: What are your recommendations to other industry stakeholders looking to adopt a regenerative model?

Pagano: Not every tourism developer has the resources to implement regenerative tourism on such a scale. But by committing to environmental and community improvement at its heart, organizations can ensure that these values guide every development decision. We recommend investing time to understand the needs of the local community and the surrounding ecological habitats before undertaking any development activity. A deep understanding of the development area also helps monitor progress and communicate this transparently to all relevant stakeholders. This provides a baseline to measure against, allowing tourism executives to set meaningful long-term goals focused on active enhancement rather than simply protection.

Learn more about Red Sea Global .

This content was created collaboratively by Red Sea Global and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX .

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: climate change , red sea global , regenerative tourism , SkiftX Showcase: Destinations , sustainable tourism

Nautical tourism

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• Marta Jacob 3 &
• Carmen Florido 4  

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Nautical tourism’s main motivation centers around aquatic and subaquatic activities in seas, rivers, or lakes for leisure or sport purposes. The concept of nautical tourism encompasses several different pursuits undertaken in water environments, including cruises, sailing, canoeing, yacht charter, jet skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, recreational fishing, and fish or whale watching. It can also be defined as holiday engagements allowing various water activities, combining the practice of nautical activities with the enjoyment of nature facilitated by tourism supply of coastal regions.

There are two main categories of nautical tourism: cruise tourism and nautical-sports tourism. The latter includes navigation activities on boats or yacht charters as well as privately owned vessels (Alcover et al. 2011 ). Some similar and/or related terms are marine tourism or coastal tourism. The former comprises recreational activities that involve traveling away from one’s place of residence and...

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Alcover, A., M. Alemany, M. Jacob, M. Payeras, A. García, and L. Martínez-Ribes 2011 The Economic Impact of Yacht Charter Tourism on the Balearic Economy. Tourism Economics 17:625-638.

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Dwyer, L., and P. Forsyth 1998 Economic Significance of Cruise Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 25:393-415.

Hall, C-M. 2001 Trends in Ocean and Coastal Tourism: The End of the Last Frontier? Ocean and Coastal Management 44:601-618.

Lück, M. 2007 Nautical Tourism Development: Opportunities and Threats. In Nautical Tourism: Concepts and Issues, M. Lück, ed., pp.3-13. New York: Cognizant.

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Orams, M. 1999 Marine Tourism Development, Impacts and Management. London: Routledge.

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Department of Applied Economics, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7,5, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Marta Jacob

Department of Applied Economic Analysis, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Saulo Torón 4, 35017, Las Palmas, Spain

Carmen Florido

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Correspondence to Marta Jacob .

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University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, USA

Jafar Jafari

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Honggen Xiao

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Jacob, M., Florido, C. (2016). Nautical tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_134

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Published : 25 June 2016

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