For coral reef managers, we suggest starting the recording at 35:18 for an overview of the Guide to Coral Reef Restoration for the Tourism Sector.
Healthy coral reefs are critical for sustaining local economies and livelihoods, particularly through supporting tourism. In the Caribbean alone, reef-associated tourism—including both on-reef and reef-adjacent activities—brings in over $7.9 billion from the more than 11 million visitors engaging in these activities every year. Recent research also suggests that COVID-19 was a critical tipping point for travelers to seek more sustainable tourism options, presenting opportunity for the tourism industry to explore new, sustainable approaches and partnerships to support coral reef conservation. In response to this need, The Nature Conservancy, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, and United Nations Environment Programme published A Guide to Coral Reef Restoration for the Tourism Sector: Partnering with Caribbean Tourism Leaders to Accelerate Coral Restoration—the first resource of its kind for the tourism industry on coral reef restoration. In this webinar, presenters shared the public opinion research underpinning these guidelines, best practices and resources for restoration implementation for tourism operators, and a look ahead to future work that will support greater public-private partnership to advance coral reef conservation and restoration in the Caribbean. Presenters include:
- Dr. Elizabeth Shaver, Coral Conservation Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy Caribbean
- Kyle Mais, General Manager, Jamaica Inn Hotel, and Chairperson for the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association
- Dr. Margaux Hein, Lead Scientist and Founder, Marine Ecosystem Restoration Research and Consulting
- Frank Comito, Former CEO and Director, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, and Special Advisor for the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism
Resources
- A Guide to Coral Reef Restoration for the Tourism Sector
- A Manager’s Guide to Coral Reef Restoration Planning and Design
- ICRI Restoration Hub
- RRN Reef Restoration Online Course
This webinar is co-hosted by The Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Division, Reef Resilience Network, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism.
