Marine Protected Areas: A Winning Card For Sustainable Tourism

the Mediterranean is one of the largest
global tourist destinations

attracting about 300 million people
each year

with a forecast of 500 million by 2030.

This will have a huge impact
in decades to come.

Developing an increasing sustainable
tourism is of the utmost importance

Tourism actually is a good thing
if it's done the proper way,

in compare it to mining,
compare it to overfishing,

it is a good industry and
there is a way to do it right

but there is a way that it can

happen without the communities having

any control if they just stand on the

sidelines

Marine protected areas are a winning

card for sustainable tourism, as they

ensure a healthy and productive sea,

and supports local economies.

Just think about the value of
a grouper on a plate

compared to the much higher value of

a grouper alive in the wild and
its appeal for divers.

Ecotourism is today a great opportunity

for local operators and therefore for

local economies.

Many travelers just want to have
that opportunity to be close to

nature if you get them to come back
that's the type of tourism you want to

have in the long run because you have
the ability to develop the product that

those tourists wants, you'll have the
ability to become one of the

entrepreneurs and the leaders, versus

having others come and dictate where the

market is going

Marine protected areas are one of the
tool to reach sustainable tourism, and

at WWF we work with the tourist sector to

ensure that they take care of their own

destinations as a value to be protected

for a long-term investment.

Furthermore the Mediterranean marine

protected areas provide cultural and

educational services that are of great

importance, as younger generations are

the tourists of tomorrow.

Do you like it?

Yes, I do.

Investing in marine protected area
means shaping a new future

for the Mediteranian .

An investment that cannot wait