Ocean-conservation-tourism-research

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We are working together with Sciaena (an ocean conservation NGO) and media partner 4Hoteliers to understand your experiences, your challenges, and the opportunities from ocean conservation initiatives in your business. We are keen to understand and support the global tourism accommodation sector to help scale-up and accelerate the protection of our precious oceans.

Public concern for our oceans, climate change and protecting the natural world are at a record high. There are early signs that this is affecting the choices people are making when booking post-Covid holidays and accommodation, with preferences towards more sustainable companies.

We need your help! This survey is targeted at tourist accommodation providers of all sizes and types (hereafter, referred to as ‘properties’), that are specifically developing, implementing or scaling-up initiatives to protect our oceans. There are many ways properties can be actively involved from reducing ocean plastics and supporting turtle conservation to sustainable seafood consumption. When we refer to initiatives, these could equally be called policies, projects, research, solutions or activities at your property.

So, if you are the property owner or a manager with responsibility for sustainability that includes ocean conservation initiatives, we need to hear from you!

The survey takes 12-15 minutes to complete. All responses will be confidential. Any questions about the survey, please contact: alina@congrevemail.co.uk

We will be sharing and raising awareness of the results in a published report, so if you would like to gain important sector insights, please fill in the contact box at the end.

Thank you for your time,
Catherine Wilson PhD MSc BSc
Research Project Director, Associate Sciaena


What is the name of your property? *

 

1. Are you responding as a group of hotels or an individual property?

 

2. Which of the following statements describes your property? tick all that apply *

 

3. What country is your property located in? *

 

4. Please add the link to your property website (or property online profile) in the box below

 

5. Please tick any of the following statements that apply to your property

 

6. What are the key pollution challenges negatively impacting ocean conservation in your local seas and coastal areas? *

Very importantQuite importantNot important
Plastic litter
Other marine litter (e.g. wood, metal, fabric)
Pollution: sewage waste disposal
Pollution: sediments and debris
Sunscreen pollution
Pollution: other chemicals (specify in comments)
Eutrophication, blue-green algae or other algal blooms
Water temperature changes
 

7. What are the key wildlife, habitat and biodiversity challenges negatively impacting ocean conservation in your local seas and coastal areas?
*

Very importantQuite importantNot important
Non-native invasive species
Mangrove forests habitat destruction
Coral reefs habitat destruction
Seagrass meadows habitat destruction
Habitat damage from extreme weather events
Other habitat destruction (name in comments)
Turtles - marine wildlife disturbance or depletion
Sharks and Rays - marine wildlife disturbance or depletion
Other - marine wildlife disturbance or depletion ( species name in comments below)
Irresponsible wildlife watching
Collecting marine souvenirs such as coral and shells
 

8. What are the key infrastructure, transport and fishing challenges that are negatively impacting ocean conservation in your local seas and coastal areas? *

Very importantQuite importantNot important
New tourist accommodation construction environmental impacts
Airport construction and expansion environmental impacts
Tourist infrastructure environmental impacts (such as desalination plants, artificial beaches)
At sea construction environmental impacts such as flood defences, dredging harbours
Beach or coastal erosion leading to habitat loss
Overfishing (over-exploitation of local fish resources)
Unreported fishing in area (illegal fishing)
Illegal marine poaching
Unsustainable seafood consumption
Other harmful fishing practices
Careless tour boats, motor boating and yachting
Careless scuba diving and snorkeling
Cruise ships' environmental impacts
 

9. Has your property won or been shortlisted for any prizes or awards for your ocean conservation initiatives? If so, please name them

 

10. Does your property have any of the following sustainability certification standards?
Please tick all that apply *

 

11. What types of ocean conservation initiatives is your property undertaking with your guests? *

Not doing nowPlanning to do thisDoing for less than one yearDoing for over one yearDoing for over five years
Education and awareness for guests such as talks, leaflets and notices
Guest pledges and rewards
Encourage guests to participate in beach clean-ups
Free or discounted environmentally friendly sunscreen
Sustainable seafood consumption in dining areas
Ocean citizen science volunteering
Guests encouraged to ‘adopt’ endangered species/habitat
 

12. What policies and strategic measures is your property taking on ocean conservation *

Not doing nowPlanning to do thisDoing for less than one yearDoing for over one yearDoing for over five years
Ocean conservation strategy or policy
Ocean conservation goals and targets
Data gathering, measuring and annual impact reporting against ocean goals and targets
Reporting under the Sustainable Development Goals SG14 Oceans, seas and marine resources
Lobbying or advocacy to government related to ocean conservation
Active in partnerships related to ocean conservation
Circular economy products and services related to ocean conservation (e.g. up-cycling ocean plastics)
Ocean related tourism products such as tours and trips
 

13. What other types of initiatives is your property taking on ocean conservation? *

Not doing nowPlanning to do thisDoing for less than one yearDoing for over one yearDoing for over five years
Education and awareness for property staff
Education and awareness for local community or schools
Education and awareness for other properties in hotel sector
Single use plastics reduced or removed through projects or procurements policies
Funding or practical support that advances scientific marine research
Turtle conservation - funding or practical support for projects
Sharks and rays conservation - funding or practical support for projects
Coral Conservation - funding or practical support for projects
Mangrove forests conservation - funding or practical support for projects
Seagrass meadows conservation - funding or practical support projects
Funding or practical support for marine protected areas MPAs (or other marine or coastal reserves)
Funding or practical support for other conservation projects (describe in comments)
Funding or practical support to reduce invasive species (describe in comments)
Property has pollution reduction projects (describe in comments)
 

14. What are the most important influences on your property's decision to carry out ocean conservation initiatives? *

Very importantQuite importantNot important
Pressure from guests
To try and attract new guests
Pressure from employees
To help motivate staff and improve staff retention
Staying ahead of competitors
Potential cost savings
Keeping ahead of new regulations
 

15. How do you currently fund your ocean conservation initiatives ? Please tick all that apply *

 

16. Where do you get your technical knowledge on ocean conservation issues that relate to your work? *

Very importantQuite importantDo not use
Employed marine biologist at your property
Consultant marine biologist
Ocean conservation NGOs (websites, reports, direct communications)
Universities or research institutes (website, reports, direct communications)
Public communications – such as media, websites, social media, talks
Training courses, workshops, or other kinds of formal learning
Tourist business associations or professional membership
Other businesses and business partnerships including chambers of commerce
 

17. What general challenges has your property faced in developing, implementing or scaling-up ocean conservation initiatives? *

 

18. What extra support and action is needed post-Covid to help properties like yours recover, develop or scale-up their ocean conservation initiatives?

Please move the sliding bar below to show your preference where 0 is no further action needed, and 100 is urgent action

 

19. What influence do you think Covid-19 will have on developing or scaling-up your ocean conservation initiatives? *