World Heritage and Tourism: Towards Coviability? Reflections on the Case of Scuba Diving in the Lagoon of New Caledonia

International audienceThe largest part of the lagoon of New Caledonia was registered in the list of world heritage of UNESCO in 2008. This registration is also a challenge: that of managing coviability between economic development and the conservation of natural heritage. A survey conducted on the principal diving clubs in the archipelago allows the study of the evolution in tourists visiting the Lagoon (from 2005 to 2012). The analysis of interviews held with professionals in aquatic sports and tourism promotion agencies, along with the data from the Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, help to put into perspective the results of the study in order to make a comparison between before and after registration. Beyond measuring the attractiveness of the lagoon and putting into perspective the development of tourism in the territory and Oceania as a whole, we will address the process of listing the lagoon as world heritage site and the conditions for coviability between the protection of nature and scuba diving