Changes in the state of Great Barrier Reef tourism from 2013 to 2017

[摘要] This technical report presents a comparison of 2013 and 2017 socio-economic data and indicators relevant to the state of tourism in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The report forms part of a series, presenting survey data from the Social and Economic Long Term Monitoring Program (SELTMP), describing and comparing the state of key characteristics of Reef-dependent industries and communities within the Great Barrier Reef region. In this report we present an in-depth analysis of (1) international and domestic tourists in the GBR region and (2) Marine Park tourism operators, with statistical tests comparing survey responses in mid-2013 and mid-2017. Between these sampling points, significant impacts occurred on the Great Barrier Reef. Mass coral bleaching over the summers of both 2016 and 2017 affected the northern half of the GBR Marine Park, including tourism sites in the Cairns region, and a severe tropical cyclone in March 2017 affected tourism sites in the Whitsundays region. These two regions account for an estimated 90% of tourism visitation to the Marine Park, and the biophysical impacts from the cyclone and coral bleaching event have undoubtedly affected tourist perceptions and experiences associated with the Reef. Among the results presented in this report, we identify significant declines in tourists’ ratings of the quality of reef activities, such as snorkelling and scuba diving, as well as their assessments of the GBR’s aesthetic beauty. While tourism operators remained optimistic about the future of their business in the GBR, their trust in institutions providing GBR-related information has fallen. Contrasting with these declines, the results show significant increases in stated values associated with the GBR (e.g. biodiversity value, science and educational value, international icon value), the desire to take action to protect the GBR, and the proportion of tourists and tourism operators who recognise climate change as the greatest threat to the GBR. We present these and other key findings in the context of the latest tourist visitation trends and other emerging industry patterns, and briefly discuss implications and challenges for GBR tourism into the future.

[发布日期] 2019-05-31 [发布机构] CSIRO

[学科分类] 地球科学(综合)