Quaderni IRCrES 16. Cap.6

Transition strategies towards a more sustainable marine tourism: some proposals from a European project

Monica Cariola

CNR-IRCrES, National Research Council of Italy – Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth, via Real Collegio 30, 10024 Moncalieri (TO), Italy

Corresponding author: monica.cariola@ircres.cnr.it

 

Abstract

In Italy, the economic relevance of coastal and inland tourism is demonstrated by its added value, which amounts to about 10% of the national GDP, and by its share on total employment, around 13%. Marine tourism is the main type of tourism in Italy, accounting for 20% of foreign arrivals only, but 30% of attendance.

This paper analyzes the implementation process and some results on possible transition strategies towards a more sustainable marine tourism of the European Project Bluemed, a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) just focused on specific characteristics and needs of the Mediterranean area. One of the main maritime socio-economic drivers identified and then analyzed by Bluemed is just marine tourism, given its importance for the economic and coastal-maritime development (Italy has about 7.500 km of coastline). Nevertheless, it has many constraints to face and solve, manly the high seasonality, strongly concentrated in the summer months.

In the present paper, only the Italian activities and results of Bluemed will be analyzed. These activities have been carried on with the engagement and contribution of the Italian marine scientific community and of relevant marine and maritime stakeholders. This paper will describe the several approaches, activities and tools adopted within the four Italian Mirror Platforms, created in order to manage these interactions, as well as the new transition strategies proposed.

This paper is complementary to the video presented by the author at Blue Planet Economy (BPE) European Maritime Forum 2021.

 

Keywords: marine tourism, sustainability, blue growth.

JEL codes: Q26, Q56, R11

 

How to Cite this Article

Cariola, M. (2022). Transition strategies towards a more sustainable marine tourism: some proposals from a European project. In Vitali, G. & Zoppi, I.M. (eds). CNR case histories in the Blue Planet Economy (pp. 39-45). Quaderni IRCrES 16. Moncalieri, TO: CNR-IRCrES. http://dx.doi.org/10.23760/2499-6661.2022.16.06