Shark Tourism Design Concept, Access and Education

Shore based shark tourism research hub

Our design teams vision for resort based shark tourism. 

Globally, shark tourism is worth over $800 million and in some places like the Bahamas responsible for close to $20 million per year in direct revenues.

LEED certified barge concept with solar/wind power and rehabilitated shipping container education hub. It's a "just add sharks" full concept.

Shark-based tourism provides economic benefits in areas that can support sustainable tourism ventures with adequate infrastructure and relatively reliable shark sightings. The tourism operators collect direct revenue from the activity and some governments receive additional taxes through permit, entry or tag fees. In Fiji, direct taxes from shark divers in 2010 were approximately US$ 5.9 million (Vianna et al. 2011).

Large deck space and education center view

There are also indirect economic impacts, or ‘economic multipliers’, benefits to the local economy through salaries paid and goods purchased (Orams 2002). For example, a tourist pays to stay at a local hotel, the hotel uses that money to pay for goods and services, which in turn serves as income for secondary and primary industries within a country. Tourists visiting Gansbaai, South Africa, to view great white sharks make up 50% of local business sales (Hara et al. 2003).

Shark-based tourism can also help regional communities through non-peak tourist seasons. On the Ningaloo coast of Australia, whale shark tours are an important source of income for these remote communities because they run on the off season (Jones et al. 2009). The impact of well managed shark-based tourism could provide significant economic benefits for the communities and countries that develop them.

Shark Conservation - Bright Concepts for 2015

Things we like for 2015 - smart conservation outreach for children.

Globally shark populations are under siege with close to 80 million sharks harvested each year for just their fins. If we are going to make a dent in this rather gruesome statistic it will take the next generation to understand sharks in a better way.

Enter a new book called, "Sharks Don't Scare Me!"

The 'Aquatic Aussie' is an adventurous character that will introduce children to his amazing world while making friends along the way. Beautifully illustrated, the series is written for children of all ages and promotes a healthy fascination for the ocean, its animals and the scientists that commit their lives to the pursuit of knowledge and conservation.

Great stuff.