Vereinbarkeit von Naturschutz und Tourismus auf den Seychellen: Projekte, Potentiale und Probleme

Abstract

The main resource of the Republic of the Seychelles, founded in 1976, consists of significant parts of a natural environment which attracts visitors from worldwide. The fragile economy of this small island state depends primarily on the tourism sector. With a land area of 455 km², space is very limited. Since the end of the 1970s nearly half of the country has been under conservation status to protect that natural treasure. In order to minimize the potential negative impacts on the environment, the government decided in the 1980s to focus the development of the tourism industry on a five star level, with a restricted number of visitors, to avoid mass tourism. During the last 30 years the Seychelles Islands have proved their ability to tackle the conflicts arising from tourism and the conservation of a natural environment. Although the existing problems require further improvements, the Seychelles Islands are nevertheless a successful example for the compatibility between conservation and tourism.