338 Int. J. Sustainable Development, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2002 Marine ecotourism in Kaikoura 33S Mark B. Orams The concept of 'ecotourism' has, in part, arisen as a result of concerns about the sustainability of tourism based on natural attractions and also as a reaction against more traditional 'mass tourism' [4]. Mass tourism is usually viewed as the more conventional form of tourism development where short-term free-market principles dominate and the maximization of income is paramount. It has been vilified in recent times as the negative impacts of tourism have become more and more apparent [4], As a result, an alternative paradigm for tourism has arisen - this view rejects the mass tourism approach and encompasses those tourism activities that deliberately plan for and seek to minimize negative effects. This 'alternative tourism' is, therefore, inherently based on principles of sustainability - particularly in an environmental and socio-cultural sense. Fennell [4] considers ecotourism to be one type of alternative tourism (Figure 1) that, while it may not always achieve it, at a minimum attempts to be environmentally sustainable. The idea that tourism should contribute to the health and viability of the natural attraction upon which it is based is an appealing one. The concept and the term have been widely adopted and ecotourism has been hailed by some as the 'answer' to nature-based tourism and 'its supporters argue that ecotourism is the only tourism development that is sustainable in the long term' [5]. Others, however, remain sceptical and view ecotourism as simply nature-based tourism 'dressed up' under a new, attractive label [6, 7, 8]. Marine ecotourism as a potential agent for sustainable development in Kaikoura, New Zealand Coastal-Marine Research Group, Massey University at Albany, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore MSC, New Zealand (e-mail: M.B.Orams@massey.ac.nz) Abstract: The terms 'sustainability' and 'ecotourism' have become much used in recent years, yet there have been few examinations of how they might apply in practical cases. Kaikoura, a small coastal town (population 3600) on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, has a rapidly developing tourism industry. This industry has helped to transform the town from an economically depressed area with few opportunities for local employment into one of New Zealand's 'boom towns'. However, this growth has not been without costs and controversies. The development of a successful ecotourism business by local indigenous Maori has caused some resentment amongst residents, and there is evidence that the marine mammals targeted by the tourism industry are experiencing increasing pressure. As a consequence, researchers and local people recognize that sustainability is an important issue for the future of the area. This case study provides important insights into the challenges associated with the rapid growth of an ecotourism destination. Keywords: 'indigenous people, Kaikoura, Maori, marine mammals, New Zealand, whale-watching. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Orams, M.B. (2002) 'Marine ecotourism as a potential agent for sustainable development in Kaikoura, New Zealand', /nt. J. Sustainable Development, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 338-352. Environmentally , sustainable activities Environmentally unsustainable act.ivities 1 Introduction mass tourism 111 The development of tourism as an area of academic inquiry is relatively new [I]. As a consequence, there are, as yet, few widely accepted theories and models that underpin the field. What is apparent is that there is a growing understanding that tourism development has wide-ranging impacts on natural and human societies. Related to this has been a 'mushrooming' of tertiary education courses, conferences and journals based on tourism. Furthermore, other social and natural sciences are now finding the tourism phenomenon an area worthy of more careful consideration. Thus, it is both timely and appropriate that the International Journal of Sustainable Development examines tourism and ecotourism as a topic for this special issue. The issue of sustainability is central to the widespread discussion regarding the impacts of tourism. Although tourism has been viewed as a potentially sustainable industry by some [2], many commentators remain sceptical about the sustainability of tourism ventures. For example, Zell [3] states: Tourism creates more tourism, the location becomes well known and thus desirable creating demand, more supply and ultimately destruction of the original reason for going there. Figure 1 Relationshipsbetweenmasstourism,alternativetourismandecotourism. A further related issue is the argument put forward by authors such as Wallace and Pierce [ll] who argue that ecotourism is travel that is based not only on nature but also on 'the people (caretakers) who live nearby, their needs, their culture, and their relationships to the land'. This represents a significant extension of the ecotourism concept beyond simply a focus on the maintenance and improvements of natural communities to an inclusion of social and cultural objectives. It further complicates the already confused state that exists with regard to what ecotourism actually is - or should be. Semantic debates regarding ecotourism and sustainability are widespread in the literature and these discussions have resulted in little consensus. However, in the recently published Copyright @ 2002 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.