Blue Tourism

There was once an expression that blue and green should never be worn together, but thankfully times have changed. Blue tourism, or marine tourism, is finally getting some attention in terms of sustainability and is, therefore, a key member of the green tourism family. Blue Flag beaches, for example, is an international organization leading on the sustainable management of beaches since 1987. In the US, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association has advocated for sustainable coastal systems and is also now piloting the implementation of Blue Flag beaches. 

In Europe, coastal tourism is now seen as part of the sustainable Blue Growth strategy, in an effort to encourage national and transnational cooperation on protecting its coasts. With the massive issues of fishing and cruise liners, however, they have a long way to go. But at least sustainable tourism practitioners can do their bit while others are sticking their head in the sand about marine crises. 

Niue

It’s pretty much all blue in Niue, an exquisite island microstate in the Pacific that protects and promotes blue tourism in all shades. The dark blue of night is as celebrated as the turquoise blue of the waters that surround their vast coral atoll, as Niue is the world’s first country to become a Dark Sky Place. Or, more specifically, the island-wide population of 1,500 people worked to reduce light pollution so that coastal star-gazing could be part of their tourism products and, consequently they are the world’s first ‘Dark Sky Nation’. 

As with all coastal communities, the traditions of living off the sea go back generations but, on Nuie, the people have used the stars and lunar cycles for navigation, storytelling and light source for generations. The knowledge of constellations, night skies and nocturnal biodiversity has always been held in esteem by community elders, and this new form of night sky tourism is one way in which they can pass these traditions down to younger generations. This project was part of a larger ongoing private-public partnership between the government of Niue and the NGO Tofia Niue, and their achievements were recognized by Green Destinations Awards in 2021, as deserved winners of the Islands & Seaside category. 

“As a small Pacific island, Niueans migrated and found this little rock in the middle of the ocean, by journeying from the stars. So essentially the stars were our map and GPS. This was thousands of years ago and that is still intrinsically part of the way we manage our natural resources. We still depend very heavily on the sky, the stars and the moon cycles for our hunting - for our conservation methods. The Dark Sky is really quite a special thing to share.” - Coral Pasisi, President Tofia Niue

Marshlands and mangroves

Marshlands and mangroves are the vital biodiverse barriers between sea and land, and as well as playing the roles of protector from flooding or erosion, they are wildlife havens. Protecting them is vital, as we can see from the work of the Baan Talae Nok community on the Andaman Coast of Thailand in the film below. The forests have been a source of seafood for generations, and the traditional ways of foraging are now shared in tours, led by the community. Life by the sea can be hard, and communities have always been close-knit as a result. Thankfully many DMOs are recognizing this now and supporting their community initiatives, as exemplified by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

 Tivatska Solila Special Nature Reserve, Montenegro

Some communities need a little bit of persuading that protecting their coast is going to generate more tourism income in the long run than developing it. This was the case in the Mediterranean town of Tivat, Montenegro, which has been developed to host super yachts and jet-set tourism over the last decade. In contrast, the community living around the Tivatska Solila Special Nature Reserve, a marshland area that was once a hub of hunting and fishing, has worked in partnership with conservation and government groups to protect and respect these traditions. 

After a massive clean-up and international recognition as a Special Flora and Fauna Reserve in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, the Tivat Tourist Authority now recommends Tivatska Solila as one of their top special places to visit. This collaboration of sustainable tourism was recognized by Green Destinations Awards in 2021, where Tivatska Solila won the Nature and Ecotourism category.