ENABLING SUSTAINABLE MARINE TOURISM IN ISLAND COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF GILUTUNGAN MARINE SANCTUARY

Abstract

This paper focuses on the enabling conditions to achieve sustainable tourism within an island ecosystem in the Philippines. It explores how a marine reserve, in the context of sustainable tourism, is being managed and governed at the local level. The study site is the Gilutungan Marine Sanctuary (GMS), in Cordova, Cebu, Philippines, one of the preferred diving sites in the country, after having its damaged coral reefs restored to health by the community. The study argues that community-based tourism can be a tool in the management of Marine Protected Areas. The paper discusses the strategies that have been initiated by the local government to pursue a self-sufficient and sustainable marine reserve. It also attempts to propose ways to address the issues and challenges in marine conservation, such as provision of local livelihoods, community empowerment, and benefit sharing. Certain conditions have to be in place to ensure the sustainability of marine tourism. This study shows that mass tourism in GMS is becoming a serious problem. Coral reef check and visitor impact monitoring should also be strengthened to assess the damage of tourism and appropriate action taken immediately. The enabling conditions necessary to achieve sustainability while conserving marine life at the GMS are: strict observance of Laws and regulations; greening of Local Governance; viable Management Plan; financial mechanism through the Environmental User Fee (EUF) system; benefit sharing of environmental fees; collaboration and public-private partnerships; community involvement and livelihoods; and, promoting responsibility of tourists and the tourism industry.
Recommendations, applicable to the Philippines and similar sites elsewhere, are also presented to help ensure sustainable tourism in a marine sanctuary. The lessons learned from this study can provide valuable management ideas and impetus for healthy governance of marine reserves in the Philippines and other sites overseas that have similar situation and concerns.