Wading through the mountain of information on responsible tourism can be daunting, especially given that only a small percentage of the material is geared to marine tourism, and only a fraction of that devoted to dive tourism. Fortunately, we can help you in your quest for knowledge.
In 2016 OEI founder, Dr. Alex Brylske, in his role as Professor of Marine Science at Florida Keys Community College, created a course that became the only such offering in the entire Florida College System, “Marine Ecology for Tourism Professionals.” Given Alex’s extensive background in the recreational diving industry, a major portion of that course explores dive tourism. In developing the curriculum Dr. Brylske compiled more than 100 relevant resources and references including popular articles, position papers, reports, best practice manuals and peer-reviewed research. Below are some of the most useful and informative for those new to the field of responsible tourism, along with a brief description of each. We offer this not as a substitute for our services, but in recognition that the more informed you are about these issues, the better you’ll appreciate how Ocean Education International can help take your business to the next level. Virtually everything you read about in these sources is addressed in one or more of our programs. Please send us a message on the "Contact" page, and we'll be happy to send you links to each of the resources described below.
The following three articles were written by Dr. Brylske and appeared in Dive Training magazine.
If you would like more information on these or other resource materials, or have further questions about issues involved in responsible tourism, feel free to contact us. We have lots to tell you!
In 2016 OEI founder, Dr. Alex Brylske, in his role as Professor of Marine Science at Florida Keys Community College, created a course that became the only such offering in the entire Florida College System, “Marine Ecology for Tourism Professionals.” Given Alex’s extensive background in the recreational diving industry, a major portion of that course explores dive tourism. In developing the curriculum Dr. Brylske compiled more than 100 relevant resources and references including popular articles, position papers, reports, best practice manuals and peer-reviewed research. Below are some of the most useful and informative for those new to the field of responsible tourism, along with a brief description of each. We offer this not as a substitute for our services, but in recognition that the more informed you are about these issues, the better you’ll appreciate how Ocean Education International can help take your business to the next level. Virtually everything you read about in these sources is addressed in one or more of our programs. Please send us a message on the "Contact" page, and we'll be happy to send you links to each of the resources described below.
The following three articles were written by Dr. Brylske and appeared in Dive Training magazine.
- Burning Down the House: What Diver Should Know About Tourism
This article is a primer on sustainable tourism as it relates to the diving industry. - Take Only Memories, Leave Only Bubble: A Guide to Responsible Snorkeling
This article explores the important but often overlooked topic of what issues arise when snorkelers visit coral reefs, and how operators can organize their tourism to minimize impact. - Sudden Impact: The Story of Diving and Coral Reefs
This article examines the impact that scuba diving has had on coral reef ecosystems with an emphasis on the relevant research findings, and techniques both divers and dive operators can implement to reduce diver damage.
- CORAL Responsible Tourism Guidelines
Developed by the Coral Reef Alliance, this package is a series of simple, one-page “green” guidelines (suitable for laminating and field use) on the following topics: scuba diving, snorkeling, turtle watching, whale watching and organizing underwater clean-ups. - A Practical Guide to Good Practice: Managing Environmental Impacts in The Marine Recreation Sector
Also developed by the Coral Reef Alliance, this brief but comprehensive guide offers insights on how marine tourism professionals can improve their business in terms of: boat operations and maintenance, boat sewage and garbage disposal, snorkeling, scuba (and snuba) operations, seafood consumption, souvenir purchasing, recreational fishing and marine wildlife viewing. Anchoring - Tourism Impact on Coral Reefs: Increasing Awareness in the Tourism Sector
Developed for the UNEP Tourism Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development, this report explores: 1) tourism activities and their impacts on coral reefs; 2) an analysis of key actors in the tourism sector; 3) awareness and potential benefits from changes in behavior; and 4) recommendations on awareness campaigns. It’s “must read” for anyone in the dive tourism business. - Responsible Shark and Rays Tourism: A Guide to Best Practice
Published jointly by the World Wildlife Fund, Project AWARE and the Manta Trust, this is a comprehensive guide to all aspects of tourism associated with elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), and an essential resource for anyone considering or already operating in this field.
- Development of marine and coastal tourism based on the Blue Economy
No understanding of sustainable tourism is complete without insight into a concept known as the “Blue Economy.” This paper explains this concept and offers insights into how this may be applied to marine and coastal tourism, with examples from Indonesia and the Maldives. - Recreational diving impacts and the use of pre-dive briefings as a management strategy on Florida coral reefs
This paper examines the patterns of recreational dive frequency, diver behavior, and coral damage on reefs near Key Largo, and assesses how pre-dive briefings and other factors affect damage rates. - Mapping the global value and distribution of coral reef tourism
Global coral reef tourism is one of the most significant segments of nature-based tourism. Understanding the full value of coral reefs to tourism, and the distribution of these values, provides an important incentive for sustainable reef management. This article explores global data from multiple sources to estimate and map two distinct components of reef value. The first component is local “reef-adjacent” value, an overarching term used to capture a range of indirect benefits from coral reefs, including provision of sandy beaches, sheltered water, food, and attractive views. The second component is “on-reef” value, directly associated with in-water activities such diving and snorkeling. - Biological effects, conservation potential, and research priorities of shark diving tourism
This paper reviews and summarizes previous research in shark feeding (provisioning) and evaluates the potential effects of dive tourism on shark behavior, ecology and subsequent human dimensions. It concludes that under the right conditions and if done in a precautionary, responsible manner, shark diving can provide a net conservation benefit (i.e., garnering of protective measures, raising awareness, instilling a conservation ethic) for a handful of species. - Global shark currency: the distribution, frequency, and economic value of shark ecotourism
This paper examines the distribution, frequency, and economic value of shark-based ecotourism worldwide. A total of 376 shark ecotour operations across 83 locations and eight geographic regions are identified. It also describes the global and regional scope of the industry; reviews the species common in shark ecotourism, and the recreational usage value of sharks. Further, it includes a case study of shark tourism based in South Africa by analyzing 12 years of demographical and economic data. It also compares consumptive and non-consumptive values of shark resources, and discusses the potential research and conservation implications of ecotourism to sharks worldwide.
If you would like more information on these or other resource materials, or have further questions about issues involved in responsible tourism, feel free to contact us. We have lots to tell you!