Assessing the ecotourism potential of central Mediterranean islands with a case study on marine ecotourism

Abstract

This study investigates the ecotourism potential of central Mediterranean Islands, several of which are highly sought after for Sand Sun and Sea (3S) tourism purposes and which are characterised by a rich biodiversity. The focus of this study is to investigate coastal and marine settings, proposing a sustainable alternative to 3S tourism. The possibility of having a number of close-by islands serving as a hub for marine ecotourism is studied. The area of study consists of three archipelagos; the Pelagian Islands, the Aegadian Islands and the Maltese Islands, along with the island of Pantelleria. Four study visits (one on each archipelago/island) were organised to observe and familiarise oneself with the area of study. Eventually, four ecotours were organised (one on each archipelago/island). These involved the organisation of a specific itinerary for 66 ecotourists who voluntarily accepted to participate in the trips, at their own expense. 43 ecotourists participated in one ecotour, 23 ecotourists participated in two ecotours, whereas 5 ecotourists participated in three of the ecotours organised generating a total of 94 ecotourism experiences. Surveys were conducted before and after the ecotours while three focus groups and a group interview were also held with specific participants who revisited the ecodestinations on their own initiative or who participated in more than one ecotour. 174 interviews were held with stakeholders across the entire area of study in order to obtain their views on various aspects related to ecotourism. In total 240 people participated in the study through the ecotours, surveys, focus groups and interviews. Results show that various levels of rivalry exist between islands and their inhabitants. Connectivity is a major challenge that can also impact ecotourism on islands. In terms of ecotourism venues, smaller islands were found to be more pristine whereas larger islands suffer from habitat fragmentation. Various ecotourism activities can be practiced including those targeting endemic species yet such activities need to be developed further. Ecotourism services are available but are often rather limited especially in the case of interpretation. The marketing of such destinations is mostly focused on 3S tourism which explains why such destinations are not likely to be associated with ecotourism. Several positive and negative environment and socio-economic impacts have also been identified across the area of study. In terms of ecotourism policy this is either sparse or lacks implementation. With respect to the ecotourists attracted, these mostly reflected the characteristic attributes of ecotourists as articulated in literature. Tourists attracted to the Maltese islands and who expressed lower levels of satisfaction with the ecotours are likely to have been hard ecotourists. Smaller islands in archipelagos have been found to be better suited as ecotourism destinations due to their pristine state. Attracting the “true specialists” also known as the hard ecotourists can be a challenge especially on the larger islands such as Malta due to extensive anthropic pressures, mostly overdevelopment. Archipelagos with their numerous islands, each characterised by different attributes, make such ecodestinations sought after due to the possibility of island-hopping. However, solitary islands can overcome such a challenge if well connected to smaller islands in the region. The concept of island-hopping and the creation of an ecotourism hub is also seen as a means to tackle various socio-economic impacts experienced by the local communities of the smaller islands under Italian jurisdiction. On the smaller islands, ecotourism can help to attract tourism all year round and tackle seasonality whereas on larger more established tourism destinations ecotourism can serve to make tourism in general more sustainable. The success of ecotourism in the area of study, especially on the smaller islands where the protection of habitats can impact the livelihood or lifestyle of the local community, depends on the acceptance and understanding of the local community. Ecotourism on smaller islands is also seen as an opportunity to tackle the various inequalities that exist between islands of the same archipelago. The study also contributes to knowledge in the field by describing ecotourism in a Mediterranean context.