I would like to take this opportunity to thank all contributors to the Tourism session on biodiversity research that matters, for their varied and interesting thoughts and experiences.
From the various contributions that we have shared, it is obvious that the topic of Biodiversity and Tourism still requires research and policy considerations and improvements. While many contributions have considered and contested the extent to which tourism is of economic importance in various parts of the world, it becomes clear that several contributors felt that the challenge in biodiversity-tourism research will include an integration of the ecological, social and economic benefits, impacts, limits to acceptable changes of these factors in relation to tourism and its carrying capacities.

The reasons why biodiversity may or may not be so important to the tourist were overviewed in this session, but the indirect and direct roles of the various characteristics of biodiversity in the tourism sector could not be dismissed. The value of biodiversity as a life supporting system, as an aesthetic/pleasure giving bonus, as the habitat/ecosystem requirements for certain charismatic organisms, as the basis for diversity in landscape and cultural uniqueness, as the necessary setting for adventure, nature, and ecotourism oriented travel may all be considered pertinent to the tourist activity. For example, many Mediterranean countries depend a great deal on their tourists for their economies. Indeed such countries may have gone a long way to alter their environment to be tourist friendly, with beautiful hotels fully equipped with all necessities and commodities, leaving very little time and space for nature appreciation outside the hotel doors.

While we all probably agree that not all tourists give much consideration to the biodiversity in the country they visit, we cannot ignore the substantial and increasing number of persons that seek to take their break from their ordinary routine life by seeking comfort or excitement, ideally in a natural and beautiful setting. Whether nature is beautiful or whether beautiful settings need to be natural may be issues for opinion surveys among tourists, but will it really target the needs of sustainable tourism? Would it really provide us with the answers we need in protecting more effectively biodiversity in regions and sites that are increasing the tourist load with no monitoring or efficient management? And what would efficient management need to take into consideration when planning and directing tourist activities in a region that needs to be shared between nature protection, social and cultural needs and economic welfare?

If indeed biodiversity is an essential component of life on earth, can we afford its loss for the quick economic profits, when research and planning (including policy implementations), may guide us toward environmentally friendly, sustainable and economically viable tourism?

Perhaps one of our prime aims or stimulus for prioritizing research requirements in this tourism-biodiversity intersection needs to go beyond the important consideration of future funds available for these research needs, to focus on how current expenditures and tourism profits are directed toward or away from effective conservation of biodiversity. How can countries that have signed up to various international conventions and agreements for the protection of important habitats and species, still not consider the serious integration of various research and implementation strategies toward necessary targets such as that of sustainable tourism? This may highlight a gap in the current research arenas or call for greater collaboration between research and policy in this area to better address local and national requirements?

The national bioplatform structures in certain European countries may be assisting in the latter process, while encouraging more research for faster and more effective results within the 2010 biodiversity conservation target. Different countries will need to address their specific research needs while integrating efforts at European and Global level where ever possible. Toward this end the following research suggestions may be considered as various options that may be adopted in different countries in different circumstances, but if we needed to focus on getting at the most widespread and urgent research needs what would these needs be?:

1. How can we measure and monitor the impacts of tourism on biodiversity?
2. Should such research and monitoring exclude biodiversity research in favor of social science in relation to tourism?
3. How can research include and integrate aspects of tourism management and tourists’ destination trends with biodiversity conservation?
4. How can we assess and monitor the ecological footprint of the complete supply chain of the tourism industry?
5. What aspects and characteristics of biodiversity should we measure and monitor in order to obtain the closest and reliable indication of how tourism affects biodiversity?
6. Do the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours of individuals living in or visiting a location relate to biodiversity richness or abundance?
7. To what extent have current schemes, tools, documents and legal structures put in practice effective biodiversity conservation within the tourism industry?
8. As natural environments change due to factors other than tourism, what indicators may assist us in focusing on the biodiversity-tourism interrelationships?
9. Should research focus on improving our integration of information, by using specialized software that may more closely monitor ecological/biodiversity, social and economic factors?
10. Should biological techniques such as taxonomy, play a greater role in research and management for conservation, including locations exposed to tourism?
11. What are tourism positive impacts on biodiversity and how can these be enhanced?
12. How can vulnerable habitats or protected areas be visited with minimal impacts?
13. Can and should mass tourism be changed to eco/environmentally friendly/sustainable tourism in countries where the former has been the norm and biodiversity may have already suffered?
14. How may sustainable tourism, as part of a sustainable development process, be promoted through national and international policy obligations and research monitoring?
15. How can local empowerment of sustainable tourism improve local biodiversity conservation?
16. To what extent has education and information played a role in achieving or not achieving a positive tourism-biodiversity relationship?
17. Should we focus research on the desires of tourists, on the needs of ecosystems from which tourism is obtaining a boost or on how the two aspects interact?
18. When impacts of tourism on biodiversity are clearly negative, what policies and implementations need to be addressed immediately for biodiversity conservation?

Overall research priorities may include:
1. Research on tourism policy relating to sustainability and its implementation.
2. Research on the impacts of tourism dynamics on biodiversity.
3. Research on the roles and values of biodiversity within the tourist economy.
4. Research on the limits of acceptable change for each ecosystem, habitat, landscape due to tourism.
5. Research on the way nature oriented tourism is increasing and affecting positively or negatively the locations/countries rich in biodiversity.
6. Research and monitoring of biodiversity, through the use of taxonomy as well, so as to accurately address the educational and conservation requirements of ecosystems exploited in various ways, including the tourism industry.

Any other final comments/suggestions on research priorities toward assisting tourism that is in respect of biodiversity conservation?

Adriana Vella,
Conservation Research Section, Biology Department, University of Malta
Chair for the Tourism Session of the E-Conference.