Impact of coastal tourism on coastal ecosystem: the case of Dar es Salaam coastal zone, Tanzania

The efforts of the government of Tanzania to promote coastal tourism together with the trade liberalization of the 1980s, have opened doors for both local and foreign investors in tourism industry and induced mounting pressure on the development of coastal-based tourism in Tanzania. The quality of coastal marine biodiversity and physical resources, both natural and human made, is in fact the asset that attracts tourists and essential for sustainability of the coastal based tourism. However, the stress imposed by tourism activities on these resources and sometimes on fragile ecosystems accelerates and aggravates their depletion. Paradoxically, tourism development contributes significantly to natural resources degradation and in so doing attractiveness of the tourist sites are diminished although these are meant to be the very commodity that tourism has to offer. Most of coastal-based tourism developments have mainly focused on income generation at the expense of natural resources such that both coastal and marine biodiversity as well as the sustainability of the industry are threatened. It is in the view of the above scenario that this study was conducted in order to examine the complex relationship between coastal based tourism and coastal ecosystem. The study examined the impact of tourism development on the Dar es Salaam coastal zone. The study findings indicates that the coastal – based tourism stakeholders do not understand clearly the complex dynamic processes and functions utilization of coastal resources are misguided. It is indicated by the study that inadequacies in environmental management, policy failure, absence of Environmental Impact Assessment. (EIA) or Environmental Audits (EA) and lack of sectoral and institutional coordination have contributed to the prevailing conditions. In addition, existing legal and institutional mechanisms are ineffective and community perception in the management and planning of coastal based tourism development is lacking. Some recommendations are made in support of the effort made to promote tourism development and enhance sustainable development of coastal-based tourism in the Dar es Salaam coastal zone. First, government should provide legislation that promotes environmental friendly mitigation measures in order to limit the degradation and restore the degraded environment. The recommended measures include obligatory consultation amongst all stakeholders, implementation of a bottom-up approach on coastal natural resources utilization and provision of guidelines for coastal resources utilization as well as the creation of environmental awareness. It is further recommended that there should be sectoral and institutional coordination and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before the implementation of tourism projects.