Marine protected areas: their contribution to sustainable tourism

The shift from tourism to sustainable tourism is increasingly evident. The dimension of this shift is more noticeable in tourism than in other economic activities; one reason may be the influence of local factors on tourism strategy, particularly with reference to the presence of protected areas. In fact, tourism activities are embedded in the culture, traditions, and natural environment of the area where they are developed. One phenomenon of this new face of tourism is the increasing number of Marine Protected Areas as an expression of the awareness that the adoption of adequate economic activities is a means of preserving the existing culture and nature for future generations. In light of this shift, certain questions emerge: How can tourism and sustainability coexist in Marine Protected Areas? Are Marine Protected Areas attractive for third-millennium tourists? How can a Marine Protected Area create relations with the territory in which it exists? To find answers to these and other questions in this paper, we analyzed the Marine Protected Area of Capo Carbonara (Sardinia, Italy). Our goals are to understand what characteristics Marine Protected Areas must possess, in what ways are they able to promote sustainable tourism and whether tourists consider them when they make the decision about their holiday destination. For this research, we adopt a qualitative methodology, specifically, the case study.