The blue economy (BE) is ideologically well aligned with tourism opportunities that achieve economic development and marine conservation objectives along with social equity. For the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, coastal and marine tourism is a crucial sector of the economy. This paper assesses the degree to which countries in LAC have strategies and plans to develop the BE and the degree to which the strategies and plans address the role of coastal and marine tourism in the development of the BE. A systematic review process identified official BE strategies, reports, and plans for each country. Then, each country was categorized based on the level of development of a BE plan or strategy. Lastly, a sustainability analysis of each National BE strategy was completed based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevance to tourism. Key findings show that LAC countries are at a variety of different developmental stages with respect to their plans for both the BE and tourism ranging from no strategy or plan to fully developed strategies/plans reflecting thorough analysis and the commitment of resources. Many LAC countries see potential for the development of tourism as part of their BE. Specifically, the involvement of local communities and the development of the cruise and yachting industry are the most commonly discussed. From these findings, key opportunities for improvement and future research related to tourism in the development of a sustainable blue economy are presented.

Authors:
Lorn Sheehan, Dalhousie University, Canada
Katia Corral Quijada, Dalhousie University, Canada
Shannon Lin, Dalhousie University, Canada

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Lorn Sheehan is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at Dalhousie University in Canada

See this presentation on the full schedule – Schedule

Bookmark