Thursday, March 24, 2011

Spotlight Shines on Sustainable Marine Management

In the wake of devastating floods, cyclones and radioactive leaks, a special website has been launched to help coastal communities and tourism operators find ways to help marine environments recover.

Sustainable Tourism Online (www.sustainabletourismonline.com) is a global research hub containing hundreds of academic papers from leading universities, case studies and a wide range of practical fact sheets.

The site has launched a special micro-site containing the very latest research on topics such as assisted coral reef regeneration, marine turtle conservation, and managing potentially destructive environmental impacts.

Complimented by interviews with practitioners in the field and a forum that allows users to connect and share knowledge, the site makes it simple to locate highly specialised information that might otherwise not be easily accessible.

“Tourism-funded not-for-profits such as the Banyan Tree Global Foundation and the Sandals Foundation are setting new benchmarks in marine conservation,” explained Portal Editor Veda Dante. “Their partnering with universities and scientists to provide funding, facilities and field expertise helps foster an environment of sustainable management and learning.

“The Marine Management micro-site brings together for the first time their collective experiences, bolsters that with resources, tools and templates from environmental management leaders such as EarthCheck and presents it as a free resource for communities to access.”

With cornerstone economies such as tourism and fisheries devastated by recent events, such access to solutions couldn’t be timelier as so many face what will undoubtedly be a long period of economic and environmental recovery.

To access the marine micro-site, simply logo on to www.sustainabletourismonline.com and follow the link.

About Sustainable Tourism Online:

Sustainable Tourism Online is a comprehensive online information resource delivering substantial research, data and tools within three main sustainability themes – Destinations and Communities, Business Operations and Parks, and Culture. It also offers relevant information and knowledge on broader sustainability themes.

An online community provides an interactive real-time communication platform for sector professionals to engage in discussions on sustainability issues, challenges and solutions.
Regular users can register to receive updates on sustainability innovations and new research. By registering you can also create your own portfolio of research, data and tools within Sustainable Tourism Online from the available resources.

Sustainable Tourism Online has been developed by Australia’s Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) to support sustainable policy, planning and practice in the sector.

With state-of-the art navigation and search functionality, the portal provides access to tourism research and tools developed by STCRC as well as other trusted sources of information relevant to the sustainable development of tourism now and into the future. Learn more at www.sustainabletourismonline.com

For further information please contact:

Sustainable Tourism Online
Veda Dante
Portal Editor
P: +61 2 6685 0221
E: veda@vedadante.com
W: www.sustainabletourismonline.com