Cruise tourism environmental impacts – The perspective from the Adriatic Sea

Cruise tourism is a growing sector of the travel and recreation industry. Due to it mobility it is often one of the first forms of tourism to relocate to new host environments and it is encouraged by transition economies looking to increase foreign revenue. Yet the environmental impacts of cruise vessels on the host environment can be significant, and due to the growth of this sector, it is likely to increase. The Mediterranean is a growing market for cruise tourism. The absence of any international coordination of the industry at the region level leaves it open to exploitation, especially considering the lack of effective pollution control mechanisms in most States. The Adriatic Sea, and Croatia in particular, is of growing interest to the cruise industry. As such Croatia can serve as an example of the strategies and practices that will be implemented as the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean States become more stable and accessible. This work examines cruise ship emissions and impacts, points to existing environmental management options, and opens up the discussion on coastal tourism development as a panacea to the current economic crisis in the region.