Small islands as ecotourism destinations : a Central Mediterranean perspective

A prerequisite for ecotourism development is the presence of natural environments, normally exhibited in protected areas, which serve as ecotourism venues. Little attention has been given to Mediterranean islands in terms of ecotourism. In this paper, nine islands in the central Mediterranean region were studied through a case study approach to investigate their potential as ecotourism destinations, taking into account the presence of protected areas and related aspects, including spatial dimensions and quality, to fulfil ecotourists. Larger islands with higher population densities were found to experience habitat fragmentation, and protected areas were thus in some cases relatively small and dispersed. In contrast, smaller, less populated islands were found to be more ideal ecotourism destinations due to limited anthropogenic impact and their capacity to fulfil the expectations of the ‘true specialists’, also known as ‘hard ecotourists’. Quality of ecotourism venues was found to affect ecotourist satisfaction. Ideal ecotourism sites on heavily impacted islands were found on the island periphery, in coastal and marine locations, with marine ecotourism serving as the ideal ecotourism product on such islands.peer-reviewe

Does absence of charismatic species impact the ecotourism potential of Central Mediterranean islands?

Central Mediterranean Islands tend to be devoid of large terrestrial charismatic fauna which usually serve as target species for ecotourism. This has raised questions on the potential of ecotourism in such destinations. However it has been argued that absence of charismatic megafauna should not be considered as a limitation. Ecotours were organised on nine islands in the central Mediterranean region. Interviews and focus groups were held with participants of the ecotours and stakeholders. It has been argued that most charismatic species are marine, touting marine ecotourism as the ideal tourism product. Furthermore, rather than focusing on charismatic species, the ecotourism product on such islands should revolve around the various coastal environments and habitats and other smaller species including non-mammals, especially endemic ones thus facilitating a broader approach to conservation. Owing to the remarkable biodiversity of plant species, charismatic megaflora and plants have also been identified as important targets for ecotourism. Furthermore, due to the intense environmental pressure and limited size of protected areas the overlap with cultural, rural and adventure tourism has been suggested. In order for the ecotourism product to be more competitive archipelago tourism also referred to as island hopping is also recommended, a proposal which is supported by the presence of endemic and sub-endemic species. Results show that absence of charismatic species does not limit ecotourism development on such islands.peer-reviewe

The potential of coastal ecotourism in Central Mediterranean islands : a case study from the Aegadian Archipelago

The study aims at identifying the challenges hindering the success of coastal ecotourism within a central Mediterranean archipelago - the Aegadian one, off the western coast of Sicily - and at identifying good practices in an attempt to propose a tourism model that addresses the environmental and socio -economic challenges of this archipelago. 4 study visits and 40 interviews with various coastal tourism stakeholders were carried out between October 2012 and October 2015. Whereas numerous challenges to coastal ecotourism have been identified, a number of success stories have been recorded, which confirm that should adequate policies be implemented and necessary actions taken, coastal ecotourism can serve as an alternative to the characteristic seasonal and mass tourism pattern currently dominating this archipelago.peer-reviewe

Urban waterfronts : learning from legacies lessons from the past pointers for the future

This paper will investigate the contemporary issues in waterfront regeneration strategies. It will aim to evaluate and analyse the legacies from past national waterfront projects through case examples and review policy practices, trends and issues that pertain to waterfront regeneration and the impact of these within tourism and cultural contexts. Specifically the paper has several objectives which will aim to identify the legacies and lessons learnt from waterfront regeneration projects. In this context past policy contexts for waterfront regeneration and the key interests between the broad and diverse stakeholder groups are reviewed. Key roles between that of the public and private sectors in the regeneration process and the often conflicting and controversial issues that result are explored. The paper will also review the historical contexts and nature of waterfront regeneration projects, especially American influences, and the extent to which projects in the US have been transposed to adapt to the European contexts. Case examples will be used to illustrate good and bad practices. In this respect the paper highlights the current issues that policy makers should consider when investing in waterfront projects . As such the paper gives pointers and recommendations for the direction of future waterfront development strategies which in essence, it concludes, should aim to accommodate more inclusive, socially responsible, culturally relevant and integrated planning development objectives to ensure future success.EU Italia- Malta Fundspeer-reviewe

Sustainable tourism management – a collection of studies from Malta, Lebanon and Jordan

This paper looks at tourism in the walled town of Mdina. It discusses the main impacts of tourism on the city by examining the economic, social and cultural aspectspeer-reviewe

Sustainable tourism management – a collection of studies from Malta, Lebanon and Jordan

Malta, a small island in the middle of Mediterranean, is a melting pot of cultures and identities. For its size and its population, the Maltese archipelago attracts over 1.7 million tourists a year (MTA, 2014).peer-reviewe

The state of ecotourism development in the Maltese archipelago

Whereas tourism in the Maltese Islands has been characterised by mass tourism, there has been a drive to promote a number of niches case in point ecotourism. Fifteen years have passed since the formal attempt to kick-start ecotourism in the Maltese Islands. In the light of this milestone, interviews with a wide range of stakeholders and analysis of tourism policies were conducted to investigate the development of the niche within the archipelago. Whereas continuous efforts have been recorded confirming devlopment of the niche, other existent challenges that hinder ecotourism development have been outlined by stakeholders.peer-reviewe

How landscapes remember

This paper considers the possibility that as subject or agent, the landscape might have the potential to contain, store or transmit memories of their past, which are engaged experientially as uncanny. In a simple sense it asks why there are some landscapes – or landscape features – that are regarded as spiritually animated by different social groups, at different times. The paper focuses on the Neolithic temple site of Borġ-in-Nadur, in Southern Malta, which as well as having been a site of prehistoric ritual activity has more recently been the site of a significant devotion to the Virgin Mary, who graced the site with regular apparitions, and a focus for national and transnational Goddess pilgrimage. The paper suggests that sites such as Borġ-in-Nadur can be seen as palimpsest landscapes, in which memory is layered such that experiential engagements with them draw the past in to the present, and forwards into the future. The paper examines the intertwining of prehistoric, Catholic and Neo-pagan engagements with Borġ-in-Nadur, extending Pierre Nora’s concept of lieux de memoire (sites of memory) to encompass the milieux de memoire, or memorial environments, which are themselves also context of, and for, the uncanny

Identifying the cultural tourism product in Malta : marketing and management issues

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