Tourism is the largest economic maritime industry in the Baltic Sea – it contributes to government revenues and is important for thriving coastal communities. However, the poor environmental status of the inland sea risks becoming a brake on this development. If we do not take care of our sea and coastal areas, we risk a deterioration of the marine environment, while losing tourists to our Nordic neighbours.
In the policy paper ‘Maritime tourism on the Baltic Sea’s terms’, this year’s BalticWaters trainees present six recommendations for sustainable tourism that benefits the marine environment, the climate and the economy.
– There are synergies between tourism and marine protected areas. Investments in well thought-out and well-functioning area protection benefit the environment and are needed for maritime tourism to live up to its full potential, write authors Klara Livsey Berg, Jonathan Pluntke and Tove Brynteson.
The policy document will shortly be available in English, keep an eye out on the website.
About the programme
The trainee programme is aimed at recent graduates withinn social sciences who want to complement their studies with practical environmental science. For 12 weeks, this year’s trainees Klara Livsey Berg, Jonathan Pluntke and Tove Brynteson have been familiarising themselves with how research is translated into practical action and how it is disseminated to decision-makers. At the same time, they have chosen a topic to specialise in, resulting in the policy document ‘Maritime tourism on the Baltic Sea’s terms’.
