Boating Tourism and Sustainability

Boating tourism, encompassing a diverse array of recreational vessel activities such as sailing, motorboating, jet skiing, rowing, and other types of crafts, represents one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in both maritime and inland water tourism. This growth is particularly evident in specific geographical regions, where the increased boating activity significantly impacts the marine and surrounding environments. These impacts extend beyond natural coastal and inland water ecosystems to include socio-cultural aspects and terrestrial concerns, such as noise pollution. The ability of these regions to accommodate and sustain the growth of boating tourism varies, presenting unique challenges related to environmental preservation, infrastructure development, and community engagement. Addressing these challenges is essential to ensure that the growth of boating tourism remains sustainable, supporting conservation efforts, community well-being, and the recreational boating experience. Despite ongoing efforts, there remains a need for comprehensive research to better understand and address these multifaceted challenges.

The Research Topic aims to evaluate the scope of these impacts and investigate their positive and negative consequences on both natural and human ecosystems in areas where boating tourism is developing. It seeks to gather experiences and case studies from various regions, including those where boating tourism is emerging and those with established traditions of water-based tourism. By critically evaluating these aspects through the lens of sustainability, the research will consider both long-term (intergenerational) and short-term (intragenerational) perspectives, aiming to balance development with conservation and community needs. The objective is to provide a holistic understanding of the ecological, socio-economic, and cultural discourse surrounding boating tourism activities and their sustainability impacts.

To gather further insights in the realm of boating tourism and sustainability, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• The development of various types of recreational boating tourism activities in maritime and inland destinations
• The transformation of areas from other primary functions, such as fisheries or industrial, to tourism-focused activities
• Sustainable development as it relates to boating behavior and management
• Effective models, guidelines, and development strategies to ensure sustainable boating activities.

Keywords: sustainability, boating tourism, maritime waters, inland waters, recreational crafts, sailing, motor boats, inland areas, coastal and off shore areas, boaters behaviors and attitudes

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.