The Impact of Tourism on the Marine Environments

The first text to take a truly inter-disciplinary approach to critically examining the impacts of tourism on marine environments and coastal regions, focusing on the negative environmental impacts but also looking at the social and economic impacts. The book sets marine tourism in the broader context of the crisis facing our oceans due to climate change and the effects of global warming or plastic pollution. The Impacts of Tourism on Marine Environments includes: * A critical evaluation of the cruise sector in terms of its impacts on the marine environment. * Marine wildlife watching and whether it is the enemy of conservation or its ally * The overall impact of tourism on litter and plastics in the ocean. * Climate change and its impact on tourist destinations * Diving and other water sports and their impacts on the marine environment including their effects on coral reefs * Tourist consumption of marine resources including seafood including economic leakages to island economies when seafood is imported for tourists and the impact of tourist demand for seafood on fish stocks * The sea and tourist souvenirs – how the demand for tourist souvenirs continues to denude the natural environment in places with fragile ecosystems * Tourism and the ocean fringes including the impact of beach activities * Coastal tourism development and its impact on marine environments such as the creation of artificial beaches and the destruction of mangroves * Tourism and natural disasters – how tourism may make the impact of natural disasters worse and how natural disasters impact on tourist destinations * The challenges involved in the planning and management of tourism in marine environments * The debate over whether there is a need for regulation to control the impacts of tourism on our oceans or whether industry self-regulation is the best approach to take. The book includes nearly forty mini-case studies from around the world which illustrate issues raised in the text. There are also ‘opinion pieces’ from experts including Professor Harold Goodwin and Professor Michael Hall. A must-have text for students, researchers and practitioners looking at issues of sustainable tourism, tourism planning, environmental management, marine conservation and corporate social responsibility. Part of the Responsible Tourism Series edited by Harold Goodwin, Director of Responsible Tourism, Institute of Place Management at Manchester Metropolitan University and John Swarbrooke, Associate Dean-International, Plymouth Global, Plymouth University, UK