Increased interest in sustainable travel has revealed a window of opportunity for the tourism industry and the conservation community to work together to implement coral reef conservation that addresses both the coral crisis and COVID-19 recovery.
Coral reef conservation can be expanded with the engagement of the tourism sector, and that doing so would be a benefit to the tourism industry
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is pleased to share the publication of a guide to coral reef restoration designed specifically for the tourism sector – the first-ever for the Caribbean region.
“A Guide to Coral Reef Restoration for the Tourism Sector” presents coral restoration best practices backed by scientific research, practitioner experience and stakeholder input. It addresses barriers that, up until now, have hindered the Caribbean tourism sector from substantively engaging in efforts to conserve the very marine environments that draw millions of visitors to the region each year.
It also reveals key opportunities for the industry during a critical time—when developing sustainable tourism practices not only helps to reverse years of degradation of Caribbean reefs, but also helps tourism-dependent businesses to survive and prosper after the economic fallout of COVID-19.
Elizabeth Shaver, PhD Coral Conservation Program Manager The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Division elizabeth.shaver@tnc.org
