Managing the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve: An Analysis of the Whale Shark Dive Tourism Industry in Placencia, Belize
Abstract
The Gladden Spit Marine Reserve is co-managed by Friends of Nature and the Government
of Belize. A section of the reserve, known as the Whale Shark Zone, is managed for
whale shark dive tourism as part of an initiative to shift the local economy away
from the fishing industry that threatens the marine resources of Gladden Spit to a
more sustainable and lucrative tourism industry.
A fee was assessed to visitors to the Whale Shark Zone in 2004 in order to generate
revenue for managing the protected area. Concurrently, a survey was developed targeting
visitors who had spent time diving and/or snorkeling in the Whale Shark Zone. The
intent of the survey was to assess visitor willingness to pay, as well as to gather
information on visitor demographics and their perceptions of their tourism experiences.
In addition, an evaluation of
management effectiveness at the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve was conducted,
as well as an evaluation of the sustainability of the whale shark tourism industry
under the management of Friends of Nature. The purpose of this project was to generate
recommendations for the improvement of management of the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes
Marine Reserve.
Results indicate that many visitors would be willing to pay more than the fee of $15
per
day that was charged in 2004 to visit the Whale Shark Zone. Visitor perceptions of
their experiences at Gladden Spit indicate overcrowding of tourists in the reserve,
fewer sightings of whale sharks, and a desire for improved educational information
about the reserve prior to tours. Recommendations for the improvement of the management
of the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve are based on the results of the visitor survey
and of the evaluation of the sustainability of the
whale shark tourism industry.
Despite the challenges that Friends of Nature faces in managing the Gladden Spit and
Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, the organization has established itself as a strong force
in the effort to promote environmental and economic sustainability. One of the most
significant resources at the disposal of Friends of Nature is the support of local
communities. Belize has a strong commitment to environmental conservation, and people
recognize the importance of maintaining
the integrity of the country’s natural resources to their own socioeconomic wellbeing.
The challenge is to direct policy and management in such a way that the use of natural
resources for the purpose of economic development, including tourism, is a sustainable
process.
Type
Master's projectSubject
Gladden Spit Marine ReserveFriends of Nature
Belize
Whale Shark
dive tourism
Silk Cayes Marine Reserve
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/224Citation
Cohun, Kelly (2005). Managing the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve: An Analysis of the Whale Shark Dive Tourism
Industry in Placencia, Belize. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/224.Collections
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