MKT01760 Tourism Theories and Practices for UNWTO

2. critically evaluate the range and interplay of factors shaping tourism planning processes and policy making

Climate Change and Mass Coral Bleaching

Mass coral bleaching posed severe impact on reefs at the global level in the late 1900s and across the regions of South East Asia during 2010. In Australia, the emerging forces of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) related to coral bleaching have been reported in popular media as well as broadly evaluated in wide range of theoretical domain. Effect of the changes in climatic conditions on GBR primarily involve critical coral bleaching events occurred during the period of 1999-2002 due to extensive summer sea temperature as well as increased level of ocean acidity that has been affecting the rate of calcium density in corals(Grech, Pressey and Day 2016). However, coral reefs in shallow waters around the areas of resort islands surrounding the GBR have been anticipated to be highly affected by higher temperatures and bleaching. Furthermore, adverse exposure about climate change tends to impact such as the extent as well as rigorousness of coral bleaching, catchment overflow along with cyclones effects on the A$5 billion tourism sector in the World Heritage-listed GBR Marine Park(Eriksson and Byrne 2015). Certain community change causes and impacts pertaining to GBR further tend to vary at a greater extent. However previous investigation has observed that green-house gas discharge emerging from maritime tours with the promotion of eco-efficiency inventiveness by the tourist purposes and the significant role of weather in reef tourism flexibility(Hughes et al. 2017).

Significance of Great Barrier Reef

Fundamentally, Australians value environment and the exceptional attributes of the natural surroundings Studies reveal that the Australian awareness embraces descriptions of a sunburnt nation based on rambling and bushland with vast mountain ranges with intense tropical rainforests as well as clear oceans (Eriksson and Byrne 2015). Australians have attained the understanding that economic gains can have the propensity to create conflict with the environment leading to trade-offs. Hughes et al. (2017)The way policy makers approach such as trade-offs have been identified as a matter of significant debate it has believed by few that environmental consequences must be taken into utmost consideration while others argue that economic growth must be positioned at the primary positions.

Public policy and the Great Barrier Reef

The GBR is identified as a multifaceted expected structure which primarily sustains series of interlinked ecosystems. Currently the strength and relevance of these environment are under severe pressure from coercions associated to environment change, land based overflow and unlawful marine cultivation. Frade et al.  (2018) reveal that Commonwealth and Queensland governments have essentially employed a range of policies in order to successfully alleviate the force of local intimidation and make flexibility aligned with the environmental pressures. It has been observed that Commonwealth and Queensland in 2015 has developed the Reef tourism sustainability plan in order to efficiently establish greater harmonization between stakeholder bases to ensure long-term sustainability to the GBR (Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2017). Assessing the GBR has been perceived as highly crucial to elevate level of public awareness related to the economy, society and environmental structure of Australia. Furthermore, Australians have been unconditionally value the Reef along with other environmental possessions as the tourism sector aims to make a diverse range of economic business and policy decision-making procedures (Salvatierra and Walters 2017). Data by Wooldridge et al.  (2017) indicate the range of exceptional tourism offerings, which the Great Barrier Reef serves resulting to magnetize millions of visitors every year from various parts of the world (Anthony 2016). Tourism is distinguished as a major industry along the GBR coastline supporting high employment opportunities and further stimulating regional, state and national returns. Studies reveal that the overall aggregate of tourists days and nights recorded in 2015-2016 has been over 15% that is higher over the decade. This has been determined by the gross increase of over 2% in the average rate of foreign tourists’ nights between 2005-2006 and 2015-2017(Ceccarelli et al. 2018).

Responsible Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef

Typically distinguished as the GBR, the Great Barrier Reef’s renowned acronym can be implemented in order to shed light on the areas of crisis that have been currently creating impact on the region(Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2017). The acronym regarded as Gigantic Bleaching Responsibility essentially emphasizes on the emerging tourism business to mitigate such critical challenges in tourism sector. Ceccarelli et al. (2018)have put light on several questions which have been raised related to the reasons why broad sections of the reef specifically in north of Cairns have been encountering issues with coral bleaching that is a procedure in which coral tends to turn white. This however have been occurring because of the sudden overheating of natural water which further strains the coral and further causes it to emanate the vibrant algae which feeds it. Hoegh-Guldberg et al. (2017) claim that in several occurrences, coral can recuperate from bleaching if the temperature level of water lowers and if the water contains less contaminated water. However in parts of the reef due to extensive coral bleaching are failing to recover and are thus rapidly losing its moisture. Critical bleaching arose in the past which had been caused by the natural incidents of El Nino, a critical explosion of warm water which exhibits a tendency to occur in every five years(Anthony 2016). However the critical effects of Nino have been evaluated in the past years and the degree of destruction to coral it has caused has never been as rapid and extensive as being recorded in 2016. A significant spread of bleaching which has been efficiently being evaluated by various environmental as well as non-profit agencies called the Ocean Agency have been undertaking important data and records of the process of bleaching(Sheaves et al. 2016).

Wide range of tourism operators have exhibited severe lack of interest to put emphasis on this emerging area of challenge with the reef generating around $11 billion annual for Australia’s economy(Coles et al. 2015). With increasing rate of disagreements and negotiations related to the degree to which coral has been hampered, there have been witnessed certain area of negotiations related to the way tourism is worth to the economy in comparison to coal. However depending on area of support, several local people have preferred to preserve employment and livelihoods(Sheaves et al. 2016). Furthermore, a critical area of challenge must be taken into light which implies that half of the GBR’s coral has been losing its significance since the past three decades. Furthermore after the negotiations with the Australian government along with the urgent drafting of a Reef 2050 Ling Term Sustainability Plan Australian Government, the threat to put ‘in danger’ has been upheld with the prerequisites that the government could signify vital developments to the reef’s condition by the end of 2019. These improvements primarily involve reduction of rate of carbon emissions, controlling pollution rate and further restraining   the impacts of dredging(Eriksson and Byrne 2015).

Tourism Plan to Help GBR from Coral Bleaching

The Great Barrier Reef has attained a significant recognition of being one of the exceptional assortments of vibrant corals, which can be distinguished with several unique and curious creatures. While the critical threats to its prospective years are distinguished to be highly crucial and immediate, certain factors are immensely vital for tourist base to consider before exploring the sites of GBR(Grech, Pressey and Day 2016). Wide ranging discussions and negotiations have already indicated to the climate change as well as human activity that have extensive effects on the Great Barrier Reef’s health. Thus instead of showing responsiveness with utmost indifference, there is a significant need of rapid tourism strategies and actions which can efficiently guarantee the security of the reef for future generations by successfully mitigating the challenges related to coral bleaching(Frade et al.  2018). Tourism plan must address the reduction of coral bleaching to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef and develop environment sustainability.

Environmental management charge- The Environmental Management Charge (EMC) is recognized as a charge which is related with majority of commercial performance which includes tourism operations and non-tourist charter operations along with services which have been executed under a permit that is accredited by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority(Wooldridge et al.  2017). For most tourism operations, Marine Park tourists for wider range of tourism functionalities, the Marine Park tourists engaging in a tourist activity must be accountable to pay specific charge to the permittee who would then abate the charge towards the administration of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park(Mohammed et al. 2017). In addition to this, other forms of processes executed in the Marine Park related to the ones who lease equipment, engage in installation procedures and the operations of tourist services must be paying an amount of fixed quarterly charges to the Marine Park Administration. These revenues however would aid the regular management operations of the Marine Park and further facilitate in improving its sustainable coercion(Tietenberg and Lewis 2016). Concurrently visitation data, which are provided when EMC has been submitted at a great extent, intends to assist the Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority as well as Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) in enhancing management organizations for successful sustainable implementation of the Marine Park(Lewis 2016).

Albright et al. (2015) state that this plan signifies that tourists will be accountable for efficiently gathering the appropriate amount of environmental management charge and further maintaining accurate and advanced records of EMC. However, regardless of private business arrangements, visitors must also attain the responsibility to ensure high compliance with the requisites of tourists’ permit and to ascertain comprehensive and well-timed lodgement of all environmental management charge revenues and payments(Schläppy et al. 2017).

Reef Knowledge Association-With attainment of awareness and knowledge arise forms of approval and improved plans and strategies to assist rather than to comprehend approaches, which would successfully safeguard Great Barrier Reef and reduce coral bleaching. A proficient reef assessment program must be formed in order to provide knowledge and further improve the level of experiences attained by tourist base as they dele into the magnificence and curiosities of the GBR(Wilson et al. 2014). This Reef Knowledge Team will provide a highly comprehensive presentation full of incredible and astonishing facts along with wide opportunity to handle wide range of corals as well as other marine specimens. Emerging rate of tourists can significantly play a volunteer’s role in order to design multifaceted program, which would further purpose to enable GBR investigation, knowledge development and conservation planning(Ceccarelli et al. 2018).

The tourism plan must further incorporate a vital Reef program which will be fundamentally executed by the Great Barrier Reef Authority. This environment program would primarily rely on the contribution of day-trippers, tourists, investigators as well as other environmental researchers who obtain information and data on reef health conditions, marine species and phenomenon related to long term sustainability of the reef(Wooldridge et al.  2017). Tourists can proactively engage to this program by using mobile applications which will enable the tourist base to proficiently share images and data of their experiences in visiting reef. Such experiences primarily include wildlife spotted, pollution or coral production(Goldberg et al. 2018). These comprehensive amounts of statistics and data however will permit the authority of Great Barrier Reef to maintain latest and advanced data with necessary information on reef health condition and developments, distribution rate of species as well as the initial caution of environmental impacts(Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2017).

Hughes et al. (2017)signify such an environmental assessment program is recognized as a community based program fundamentally developed in order to capture the level of interest, extraordinary and incredible events tourists typically receive on visiting the Great Barrier Reef. The proposed mobile application can be built especially with the sincere motive of empowering any individual with a GPS enabled mobile phone in order to join the network of citizen scientists and further offer GPS tagged reef observations. The financial resources needed for such a plan have been estimated to reach up to A$ 1910.53(Hoegh-Guldberg et al. 2017).  There can also be proposed varied ways through which tourists can serve a role in the long-term protection of the reef. The reef’s highly interactive sightings network map will essentially permit any interest visitor to view the astonishing natural world of GBR being encountered as well as assessed by wide ranging tourists to the Great Barrier Reef(Anthony 2016). This proposed website further will reflect the mobile application in being competent to approve and acknowledge sightings by manually enter the examination and observation at their convenience by implementing undemanding navigating map features(Eriksson and Byrne 2015).

Volunteer with Tangaroa Blue Foundation- Lovelock et al. (2014)claim that the tourism plan further emphasizes on tourists’ engagement to volunteer in Tangoroa Blue Foundation that is recognized as an Australian based not-for-profit organization which shows utmost commitment to the removal as well as protection of marine debris. The production of marine debris has been distinguished as one of the significant environmental issues across the world(Lewis 2016). However the plan propose that in order to attainably resolve the issue, the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) will be formulated that would comprise an on-group association of volunteers as well as communities which will offer information derived from the rubbish accumulated at the time of beach and river water cleaning process to the AMDI Database. Meanwhile following to the produced data the tourists serving as volunteers will work on other resolutions in order to discontinue the flow of debris at the source (Kroon et al. 2015). AMDI further will aid communities to efficiently supervise their coastal environment by successfully offering financial, environment resources, and further aid programs to create developments at a greater scale(Tietenberg and Lewis 2016).  

Control Rate of Carbon Footprint-Mohammed et al. (2017) state that while environmental programs such as Tangaroa Blue Foundation and Reef Knowledge Association primarily encourage similar forms of actions towards the mitigation of coral bleaching as a highly concerning area of environment concern can further be distinguished to attain a more environmental and greener way of life. Tourists arriving from various parts of the world must support significant conservation and marine parks through considerable amount of financial aids by volunteering as well as serving visitor fees(Ceccarelli et al. 2018). This plan of carbon footprint reduction will offer tourists the understanding of the unconstructive results of the usage of plastic elements. Tourists exploring the regions of GBR must be aware about the negative impacts of plastic usage, which can also choke and entrap the marine species breathing inside water and contain detrimental chemicals which concentrate pollutants(Wilson et al. 2014). The reduction of carbon footprint will further aid tourists coming to the GBR region to purchase more environment friendly products and promote environment sustainability.

In addition to this, Tietenberg and Lewis (2016)purchasing locally grown goods, which are cultivated in the local Australian farms, will also help in diminishing fuel emissions as well as pesticides from transport as well as production. Both local as well as international tourists furthers must ascertain the sustainability rate of seafood consumption. Lewis (2016)noted that adherence of local marine cultivating policies and regulations the reduction of carbon footprint will be successfully achieved. However wide range of tourists emerging from various parts of the world must delve into the sustainable seafood possessions namely The Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Sustainable Seafood 3-Step Pocket Guide which is operating in Australia & New Zealand, The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Pocket Guide that executes its operations in US and Canada and The Marine Conservation Society’s Pocket Good Fish Guide, which has been operating in parts of the United Kingdom(Kroon et al. 2015).

Conclusion

Therefore, from the above discussion it can be stated that climate change associated to Coral bleaching has post severe impact on the lives of marine species. These critical impacts furthermore have been constantly threatening the health condition of Great Barrier Reef by entangling it with massive Coral bleaching occurrences. The primary agenda of Australian tourism towards safeguard of Great Barrier Reef has been conservation. However there can be witnessed an emerging series of visitors from various parts of the world who wanted to explore the beauty and magnificence of the world heritage sites like Great Barrier Reef. Furthermore since Australia has been immensely committed to the standards and principles of a free market economy it has been identified as a responsibility for stakeholders as well as citizens and visitors to strategies and plan for the successful protection of the Great Barrier Reef by efficiently with using the extent of coral bleaching. Tourism operators must play a substantial role in self-regulating the values and Standards of preventing the Great Barrier Reef from any form of environmental harm. The paper has prepared a detailed tourism strategy, which highlights several areas that can be taken into consideration for the development and safeguard of the natural heritage site of Australia.

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