T o u r i s m
The tourism industry in many tropical countries provides needed support for weak economies. Coral reefs provide billions of dollars and hundreds of jobs to more than 100 different countries. Rapid development is killing these corals that the tourism industry relies on, so it would be in their best interest to preserve these natural habitats to support themselves in the long-term.
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Against Solving Issue:
Coral reefs have massive potential income in the short term if utilized correctly.
In the great barrier reef, tourism is soaring. In 2017 over 2.68 million people visited the GBR every day. A big reason for this was non-environmentally friendly tourism. Commercial fishing is threatened by new regulations passing, which would lower tourism and thus annual income in Australia.
Diving platforms, which are the most popular way for tourists to dive, bring in a lot of money. The bird feces that is washed into the ocean may affect coral, but once again they provide money.
Tourists can step on coral, but if tourists were to be banned from walking in coral reefs then millions to billions in the global economy would be lost yearly.
Platforms used for diving or the construction of overwater bungalowes produce lots of money, but their construction damages the environment.
For Solving Issue:
Coral reefs provide an entire tourism industry of their own, thus it would be the wisest to support coral. While expansion of the industry is important, by expanding sustainably the tourism industry can generate even more income.
Coral reefs provide a vast amount of money for the tourism sector. People from all around the world go to places to see coral. People visiting the Florida Keys in the US generate at least US$3 billion dollars in annual income, while Australia’s Great Barrier Reef generates well over US$1 billion per year. Sustainably managed coral reef-based tourism can also provide significant alternative or additional sources of income to poorer coastal communities in developing countries. Many communities are reliant on protecting coral too, so the tourism industry makes decisions accordingly. In Bonair, a small Caribbean island, earns $23 million from coral reef activities
annually. This supports their small economy. Yet, they only have to pay under $1 million a year to support it. So, the income from coral is much greater than the cost.
Coral reefs also indirectly help the tourism industry. The marine life and beaches that coral reefs protect/support attract tourists of all kinds. Divers, sightseers, and wealthy tourists all flock to enjoy the natural beaut. A study conducted in 2002 estimated “the value of coral reefs is $10 billion, with direct economic benefits of $360 million per year” (Cesar and van Beukering, 2004).
Rapid development caused by tourism can hurt coral reefs. Some hotels try to expand to areas untouched by humans, which can cause sediments to wash into coral reefs during the construction of the hotel. Residents nearby that rely on the coral for tourism suddenly have a loss of employment in the tourism industry.
An eco-lodge that is part of the the tourism industry in the Maldives is one story of how the tourism industry wants to make more sustainable choice. The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort is working towards recovering the coral that has been affected by coral bleaching on its grounds. When asked if they had a solution to coral bleaching, the manager replied “No – the only solution is to reduce global warming. But the resort’s marine biologist, Caterina Fattori, is encouraging the house reef to recover by replanting corals.” They do this because otherwise they'd be losing business much like similar eco lodges because of the effects of coral bleaching.
