TIDE Toolkit: Tourism Toolkit for European Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

The purpose of this document is to provide pragmatic guidance to protected area managers and authorities on operating tourism safely amid the COVID-19 crisis. Suggestions are provided, accompanied by supplementary links to sources and further information. While the guidance provides an overview, it should be noted that it is not exhaustive, and each protected area will have different conditions and requirements that could need further adaptation as the situation evolves.

This paper describes the impact of COVID-19 on wildlife tourism in protected areas, considering implications for protected areas, the tourism sector, and local communities. As part of a broader EU study on the ‘Wildlife economy: sustainable tourism in protected areas’, the paper shares the results of research from tourism stakeholders globally, combined with recent market intelligence on the impacts of the pandemic in Latin America. A sister analysis has also been undertaken for Africa, and comparisons are shared in this paper.

CO-EVOLVE analyzed and promoted the co-evolution of human activities and natural systems in touristic coastal areas in the Mediterranean, allowing for the sustainable development of touristic activities, based on the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Maritime Spatial Planning. The aim was to demonstrate through pilot actions the feasibility and effectiveness of an ICZM/MSP-based planning process.