Mr Thandarayan Vasudavan

ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA ABSTRACTS AND BIODATA

Marine Eco Tourism - Maximising the visitor experience along Western Australia's Coastline

Mr Thandarayan Vasudavan

Tourism Program Director, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia -

Tourism industry has long been seen as a service industry though today's tourists are seeking destination experiences beyond ordinary tourism services. Western Australia's long coastline illustrates an excellent success case study where Marine Eco Tourism is helping maximise the visitor experience with stakeholder involvement.

Western Australia's 12,000 kilometres of crystal-clear coastline, teeming with brilliant coral, unspoiled reefs, 19th century shipwrecks, spectacular surf and majestic sea creatures represents a giant aquatic playground for Marine Eco Tourism. These activities galore need to carefully targeted to appropriate market segments to engage and maximise visitor experience, whilst maintaining sustainable marine activities and nurturing small to medium tourism business enterprises.

* * * * * * *

Inspiring Success Stories ..

BIO-DATA

To be advised

Session 1

Sustainable Development and Management:

sharing the expertise of practitioners in discussing the challenges and advocating sustainability in tourism development, marine environment protection and alleviating the impact of coastal and maritime activities.

Session 3

Succeeding in Marine Ecotourism: featuring proponents of marine ecotourism and initiatives undertaken by both private and public sector and addressing the widespread "green washing" practices that is harming the industry.

Session 2

Policies in Sustainable Tourism: Emphasis on capacity building as the way forward in environment awareness, education and interpretation of marine ecotourism among stakeholders and tourists and a call for national and international collaboration in addressing marine environmental issues.

Session 4

Conservation of Marine Resources: Presenting two successful marine conservation programmes - turtle terrapin rehabilitation programme in Setiu and coral reef protection programme in Sipadan and learning valuable lessons in helping to protect resources for ecotourism activities.