The Residents’ Perception of the Obstacles and Prospects Facing Alexandria's Maritime and Coastal Tourism

Document Type : Original Article

Author

National Institute of oceanography and fisheries

Abstract

This research aimed to study the residents’ perception of the obstacles and prospects facing Alexandria's maritime and coastal tourism. Several the following sub-objectives can help achieve this goal: 1- Studying some the respondents' personal, Socio- economic characteristics. 2- A study of residents’ perception regarding an Egyptian marine and coastal tourism strategy. 3- A study of the residents’ perception of competitiveness—boosting the competitiveness of coastal and marine travel. 4- A study of the residents’ perception of sustainability—the expansion of sustainable tourism in coastal and maritime areas. 5- A study of the perception and character of Alexandria's coastline and maritime areas were enhanced by the respondents' thoughts. Research data were collected from 745 respondents using a personal interview questionnaire. The results show that the respondents have an excellent understanding of coastal and maritime tourism. Non-beach tourism activities were among the most relevant tourism initiatives aimed at developing the marine and coastal economies in Alexandria, which leads to a competitive and sustainable economy at the same time. The most important obstacles to the competitiveness of the coastal and marine tourism sub-sector were those related to seasonality, sustainability, and innovation. The necessity of having a plan that protects the natural and physical environments was also given a high priority by the respondents. Finally, the research presented several recommendations, including establishing monitoring programs and indicators, enhancing communication between different disciplines, enhancing tourism information, encourage flexibility and pro-active handling of emergencies, and disseminating knowledge.

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