From sightseers to stakeholders: how travellers can help protect our oceans

by Brent Fisher, 28^th July 2025, Content Strategist 

Swimming, paddling, surfing, or diving; however you explore the oceans, being able to be in the world’s waters is one of the most enjoyable parts of any holiday or travelling experience. Something that might not be the first thing you think about, though, is how sustainable the way tourists use the ocean.

Factors such as overcrowding (increasing demand on seafood and other resources), pollution (from litter or certain chemicals in suncream, deodorants, or similar), and irresponsible practices (such as poor coastal development or physical wildlife interactions) can cause damage to marine ecosystems.

Source: https://alchemy.gr/post/1032/should-we-ever-interact-with-sea-creatures

While the location of a new hotel may be outside of your control, there are things you can do as a responsible traveller to help protect the oceans you enjoy. You can go from a sightseer to a genuine stakeholder – someone who is invested in the future of the planet. Here’s just a couple of ways how:

Do your research: who you’re giving money to?

First things first, it’s important to consider who you’re giving money to. Depending on where you’re visiting, there may be an abundance of providers fighting for your custom, or you may have limited choice. But don’t let that influence you. Research the companies available and what they do to minimise the impact of their operations on the immediate environment.

For example, if it’s a diving or boat tour provider, do they operate with experienced professionals to avoid boats dropping anchors directly on reefs that can destroy delicate marine habitats? Or, does the hotel you’re planning to book with have a responsible waste management programme to avoid rubbish ending up in places it shouldn’t?

Companies that consider the environment should have details on their websites of the steps they take to engage in eco-friendly tourism practices. They might also be affiliated with certain recognised organisations, such as The Green Fins initiative, which supports sustainable marine activities.

Buy and use responsible products

Simply being in the water (or sitting on the sand) can have an impact on the health of corals. So it’s important to wash off any products which may contain chemicals and only use reef-safe suncream free of harmful chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate. These creams tend to be mineral-based, using materials such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to create a physical barrier that reflects UV rays away from the skin, rather than absorbing them like chemical sunscreens.

You can protect the ocean even when you’re far from it too, by being careful with the products you use. For example, avoid microbeads, which have tiny particles of plastic that wash into the sea and don’t break down. 

https://www.originaltravel.co.uk/tourism-and-ocean-sustainability-facts

Plastic is still a huge threat to the ocean, with eight million tonnes ending up in the ocean every year. What’s perhaps more pertinent, though, as this sustainable travel guide highlights, is that the rate at which plastic enters the ocean increases during peak tourist seasons. If we continue to be irresponsible in the way we buy, use, and dispose of plastic at the same rate, we’ll find ourselves in a position where there is more plastic in the seas than fish by the end of 2050. It’s something you may want to think about if the temptation of another plastic souvenir catches your eye.

Here, we’ve focused on just two ways you can contribute to the positive synergies between nature protection and tourism. But hopefully it shows that even small, simple changes can make a big difference – simply being mindful of how your choices impact the environment will make you a more responsible traveller, and will inevitably lead to more eco-friendly choices along the way.

CONTACT: brent.fisherconsulting@gmail.com

MORE ON:

The Green Fins initiative: Protecting Coral Reefs Through Sustainable Tourism
Dive centres, snorkelling centres, and liveaboard businesses join Green Fins to protect the marine environment where they operate. Choose a Green Fins Member for your next underwater adventure. 
https://greenfins.net/

Sustainable Travel Guide Highlights : 40 Facts and statistics about tourism & ocean sustainability 
https://www.originaltravel.co.uk/tourism-and-ocean-sustainability-facts