ECO PRO continued
to dead or damaged sites. The World Economic Forum has shown that a large share of global GDP depends on nature and that ecosystem decline is a material business risk for tourism. Alienated communities carry higher political and rep- ▪ utational risk. If local people view tourism as extraction – jobs for a few, a nuisance or exclusion for many – you invite conflict over access, rising regulatory pressure, or even community-driven shutdowns. That risk is well rec- ognized in “nature-positive” tourism frameworks. Just look at the “anti-tourist” demonstrations in Barcelona last summer. Overcrowding leads to lower guest satisfaction and ▪ price pressure. Treating the business as a simple “more heads in beds” or “more divers per boat” equation quickly hits carrying capacity limits. Once sites are crowded, staff are overstretched, and infrastructure is maxed out, the
Once you frame your business that way, sustainability stops being a “department” or a marketing angle; it becomes the or- ganizing principle for operations and guest experience. A Practical Roadmap What I’ve found to be the most helpful advice for those looking for direction comes from the Reef-World Foundation and Blue Ocean Network. They emphasize that operators don’t need a huge budget to get started, but they do need structure and progression, as indicated below: STEP 1: Awareness and commitment (top down) Leadership must explicitly place sustainability at the center of the business. That means: Writing down your purpose and sustainability goals. ▪ Communicating them clearly to staff, partners, and ▪ guests. Treating them as non-negotiable, like safety. ▪ STEP 2: Low hanging fruit – visible quick wins
guest experience suffers, re- views drop, and you are forced to discount to fill boats and rooms. (An excellent video of this problem of “overtourism” is contained on the Resource List linked to the QR code.) From this perspective, sustainability is not a philanthropic add-on. It’s the operating system that keeps your product desirable, your host com- munity supportive, and your risk profile manageable. Clarifying Our “Why”
These are actions with immediate impact and strong signaling power: Eliminating or drastically re- ▪ ducing single use plastics. Providing refillable water sys- ▪ tems and highlighting reef safe sunscreen. Building concise environmen- ▪ tal briefings into every dive, snorkel, or excursion. Inviting guests to bring back ▪ marine debris and celebrating that behavior.
Marketing strategist Simon Sinek famously argues that people “don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” Applied to marine tourism, our approach is straightforward: we operate boats, guide dives and snorkel trips, offer courses, and host guests. Our why is where sustainability lives. Adventure travelers and younger guests – Millennials, Gen Z, and the emerging Gen Alpha – are exceptionally values- driven. They want to see that we: Stand for something beyond profit. ▪ Demonstrate consistent environmental and social values. ▪ Involve them in learning and meaningful contribution, ▪ not just consumption. A clear purpose statement can align everything from staff training to pricing and product design. For example, a concise “why” for a dive resort or marine tour operator might be: “We exist to create life-changing ocean experiences that actively protect marine ecosystems and strengthen our local community.”
PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY Aligning your practices with ISO and UNEP-backed ▪ standards like Green Fins, which provides globally rec- ognized guidelines for environmentally responsible div- ing and snorkeling operations. STEP 4: Partnerships and Reputation As your practices mature, collaboration amplifies your impact and your credibility: STEP 3: Deeper integration and investment Here, sustainability becomes embedded in how you buy, build, and run: Selecting suppliers and partners based on environmental ▪ and social criteria. Improving energy, fuel, and water efficiency (which usu- ▪ ally cuts costs). Supporting local reef, seagrass, or mangrove restoration ▪ projects.
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