Cruise tourism environmental impacts – The perspective from the Adriatic Sea

Multi-objective spatial tools to inform maritime spatial planning in the Adriatic Sea

“…The Adriatic Sea is heavily exposed to anthropogenic pressures (EC, 2011; Goffredo and Dubinsky, 2013) generated by a complex suite of activities: maritime transport, port activities (Trieste, Venice, Koper, Rijeka, Ancona, Brindisi, Bari or Vlorë), commercial fishery, aquaculture, especially in the lagoons of the Northern Adriatic Sea and tourism (EC, 2011). In the future, an intensification of human activities could be expected, leading to increased environmental pressures and sea conflicts: development of new port infrastructures in Ploce (Croatia), Bar (Montenegro) and Vlorë (Albania; Vidas, 2008), container traffic increase by 350% by 2020 (Barbanti et al, 2015), development of new cruising routes (Venice-Ravenna-Bari-Sivola and Kotor), increase of aquaculture activities (Brigolin et al, 2017;EUSAIR, 2017), increased grid connectivity through cabling and pipelines (IGI Poseidon Project, 2016; PCI Project, 2017), potential renewable energy development (Liščić et al, 2014;Schweizer et al, 2016), new hydrocarbon concessions, establishment of LNG terminals and booming of coastal and cruise tourism (Caric and Mackelworth, 2014). The spatial characterization of results was performed by dividing the Adriatic Sea into three biogeographic subdivisions according to Bianchi 2004 (Figure 1): 1) The Northern Adriatic (NAd, area = 44,434 km 2 ; 17.6 %) delimited by the Conero Regional Park to southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, covering the national sea boundaries of HR, IT and SL; 2) the Central Adriatic (CAd, area = 13,2610 km 2 ; 52.6%) delimited by the Gulf of Manfredonia to the coastal city of Dubrovnik, covering the national sea boundaries of BH, HR and IT and 3) the Southern Adriatic (SAd, area = 75,146 km 2 ; 29.8%) delimited by the city of Otranto, covering the national sea boundaries of AL, HR, IT and MT .…”

Large marine protected areas (LMPAs) in the Mediterranean Sea: The opportunity of the Adriatic Sea

“…In ten years, since 2002, Mediterranean cruise tourism increased by 162%, and Venice and Dubrovnik in the Adriatic Sea were prime destination. The mass tourism related with large ship cruises (more than 4000 passengers and crew), may determine heavy environmental impacts, in particular in a region where effective environmental monitoring and management system for pollution are poor [71]. As a consequence, considering the expected increase in maritime traffics, container traffic, new touristic routes in the Adriatic Sea, an effective integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is urgent [72].…”

Cruise Tourism and Sustainability in the Mediterranean. Destination Venice

“…Beyond this background, many studies (e.g. [30]) have highlighted also environmental problems concerning a number of waste generation and discharge associated with air pollution and pressure exerted on places with a very fragile ecosystem, as in the case of Venice. This effect is also evident considering the Mediterranean area as a whole.…”