Publicação
Viability assessment of a MEET Ecotourism product around Brijuni National Park, Croatia
| Resumo: | At the same time that the northern Adriatic is considered one of the most important sub-basins of the whole Mediterranean basin, it continuously suffers the consequences of the mass tourism pressures, which threatens the region’s natural and cultural heritage (Carić & Mackelworth, 2014). Currently, there is an active organization called MEET Network that comes to provide the necessary tools for Mediterranean protected areas to create more sustainable options of tourism strategies, through the best ecotourism practices (Noll et al., 2019). MEET is a target-oriented network that works as a consultant for Mediterranean protected areas and key-organizations regarding ecotourism ideals. The network acts as a Destination Management Organization (DMO), helping the involved Mediterranean protected areas and organizations developing a better design, manage, marketing and sale of ecotourism products in a more sustainable way. Moreover, MEET incorporates these products into a destination portfolio (MEET Guide) with strong branding and professional support. It is an attempt for conservation at its core, being designed to help parks of Mediterranean countries, which play an important role in preserving the region’s threatened biodiversity (Noll et al., 2019). As a way to safeguard the multiple values and integrity of the northern Adriatic sea, this study has attempted to assess the viability of creating a MEET Ecotourism product around Brijuni National Park, a croatian protected area, in the western Istrian coastline, located in the Northern Adriatic sea. This study surges due to the urgent need to promote better ecotourism options for the protection of such important areas, by creating protocols, partnerships and common goals amongst local communities and other entities, towards a more sustainable future in the tourism sector. To do so, this study focused on understanding how the local touristic suppliers perceive the subjects of ecotourism, sustainability and partnerships for the goal. The distribution of an online survey, within a buffer zone around the selected protected area, was the main methodology to reach these local touristic businesses and understand their points of view. Furthermore, with the survey’s responses, it was possible to develop a proposal of an ecotourism product, following MEET’s requirements, which, when verified through checklists, presented a clear statement and a visible argument for answering to the hypothesis of this study. This study has shown an immense potential and viability on implementing a MEET Ecotourism package around this protected area. The local suppliers revealed a considerable high involvement in the subjects and the product’s proposal was almost totally in compliance with MEET’s requirements. Moreover, the survey’s results allowed conclusions regarding eventual allies or possible obstacles for Brijuni National Park to go forward with a MEET program. In the future, if such is implemented, there are some obstacles to be overcome, regarding sustainable matters and management details. Nonetheless, such partnership is considered of high importance for the region and its benefits must be explored. The development of a MEET ecotourism approach in this specific region could come to fulfil a strategic act to protect the values of the Adriatic Sea, given that the northern Adriatic is still not integrated in such MEET programs. Finally, working towards more sustainable alternatives in the tourism industry can become a way to come closer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched by the United Nations, as an attempt to protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. |
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| Autores principais: | Figueiredo, Telma Sofia Relvas |
| Assunto: | Ecoturismo Áreas Protegidas Mediterrâneo Mar Adriático Turismo Sustentável Relatórios de estágio de mestrado - 2020 |
| Ano: | 2020 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da Universidade de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | At the same time that the northern Adriatic is considered one of the most important sub-basins of the whole Mediterranean basin, it continuously suffers the consequences of the mass tourism pressures, which threatens the region’s natural and cultural heritage (Carić & Mackelworth, 2014). Currently, there is an active organization called MEET Network that comes to provide the necessary tools for Mediterranean protected areas to create more sustainable options of tourism strategies, through the best ecotourism practices (Noll et al., 2019). MEET is a target-oriented network that works as a consultant for Mediterranean protected areas and key-organizations regarding ecotourism ideals. The network acts as a Destination Management Organization (DMO), helping the involved Mediterranean protected areas and organizations developing a better design, manage, marketing and sale of ecotourism products in a more sustainable way. Moreover, MEET incorporates these products into a destination portfolio (MEET Guide) with strong branding and professional support. It is an attempt for conservation at its core, being designed to help parks of Mediterranean countries, which play an important role in preserving the region’s threatened biodiversity (Noll et al., 2019). As a way to safeguard the multiple values and integrity of the northern Adriatic sea, this study has attempted to assess the viability of creating a MEET Ecotourism product around Brijuni National Park, a croatian protected area, in the western Istrian coastline, located in the Northern Adriatic sea. This study surges due to the urgent need to promote better ecotourism options for the protection of such important areas, by creating protocols, partnerships and common goals amongst local communities and other entities, towards a more sustainable future in the tourism sector. To do so, this study focused on understanding how the local touristic suppliers perceive the subjects of ecotourism, sustainability and partnerships for the goal. The distribution of an online survey, within a buffer zone around the selected protected area, was the main methodology to reach these local touristic businesses and understand their points of view. Furthermore, with the survey’s responses, it was possible to develop a proposal of an ecotourism product, following MEET’s requirements, which, when verified through checklists, presented a clear statement and a visible argument for answering to the hypothesis of this study. This study has shown an immense potential and viability on implementing a MEET Ecotourism package around this protected area. The local suppliers revealed a considerable high involvement in the subjects and the product’s proposal was almost totally in compliance with MEET’s requirements. Moreover, the survey’s results allowed conclusions regarding eventual allies or possible obstacles for Brijuni National Park to go forward with a MEET program. In the future, if such is implemented, there are some obstacles to be overcome, regarding sustainable matters and management details. Nonetheless, such partnership is considered of high importance for the region and its benefits must be explored. The development of a MEET ecotourism approach in this specific region could come to fulfil a strategic act to protect the values of the Adriatic Sea, given that the northern Adriatic is still not integrated in such MEET programs. Finally, working towards more sustainable alternatives in the tourism industry can become a way to come closer to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched by the United Nations, as an attempt to protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. |
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