Strategies to Improve Coastal and Marine Tourism Sustainability in the Nelson Mandela Bay Coastal Region

Coastal and marine tourism is a growing subsector of tourism, and it is globally recognized for its notable economic contribution in coastal regions. However, in the coastal regions of developing cities such as Gqeberha South Africa, pollution, specifically the plastic, street litter, and waste from ships, is among the prominent challenges in this area. Thus, there is a need for sustainability management and planning in Nelson Mandela Bay’s (NMB) coastal and marine tourism sector. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the current sustainability strategies used in NMB’s coastal region. It aimed to develop strategies to contribute towards coastal and marine tourism (CMT) sustainability. Using an interpretivist paradigm that followed a qualitative research approach, eight semistructured interviews were conducted with local government officials, coastal and marine tourism business top managers, and ocean economy-related nonprofit organization operators. The analysis was done through the lens of the systems thinking theory (STT), which enabled the identification of key themes using feedback loops. The results indicated the need for decision makers and local communities to be empowered with knowledge to enable creative communication of the importance of sustainability while encouraging more collaboration among stakeholders. Additionally, it was noted that the coastal communities of NMB were not prioritizing sustainability, hence the call for sustainability to be practiced as a way of life. Moreover, recommendations were made towards empowering decision makers and local communities through workshops, as well as teaching children about sustainability and its importance. Lastly, the researchers encourage recycling and the separation of waste.