Assessing and Developing sustainable boat-based marine tourism in response to a growing blue economy

Wildlife tourism is a rapidly growing industry worldwide and provides substantial social and economic benefits to many countries. The industry depends on positive human-wildlife interactions to ensure its long-term... [ view full abstract ]

Wildlife tourism is a rapidly growing industry worldwide and provides substantial social and economic benefits to many countries. The industry depends on positive human-wildlife interactions to ensure its long-term sustainability. In order to create or maintain this sustainability, the economic and social benefits of the industry must not outweigh the environmental costs.  In the marine environment whale and dolphin watching is the fastest growing tourism sector in the world, creating economic, social and environmental benefits.   The South African boat-based whale-watching industry was formalized in 1998 and is globally perceived as one of the most sustainable of its kind worldwide.  This is largely due to the early development of permit regulations and operating protocols to minimize disturbance to the target species. However, the efficacy and compliance of these regulations has not been measured. This study will adopt a trans-disciplinary approach to assess the current status of and develop sustainable practices for the industry. The objectives are to: measure the behavioural responses of whales and dolphins to vessel approaches; assess the effectiveness of existing guidelines to mitigate potential negative impacts; quantify the direct and indirect economic value of the industry; and determine levels of customer satisfaction in relation to their perceptions and expectations based on marketing of the industry. The overall goal is to develop a sustainable marine tourism sector with minimal impact on the resource that it is dependent on. A systems thinking approach will be adopted for this study using existing system-dynamics modelling tools.