Tourism contributes significantly to the Blue Economy, yet it is understudied and rarely appears in biodiversity economy conversations especially in the Western Indian (WIO) Region. The current model of coastal and marine tourism is inherently unsustainable, characterised by high levels of economic leakage, seasonality and vulnerability to natural and economic shocks. This study aims to provide information and data to support data driven policy and practice and to allow for data-driven decision making with respect to nature-based tourism in the Western Indian Ocean region.  The study will look at opportunities as well as threats to NBT in the WIO region and will provide recommendations for unlocking and growing NBT in the blue economy in the WIO region, including a case study on Mafia Island.

Stakeholder groups partners include: NGO, government, community and academic stakeholders who participated in the WIOMSA NBT workshop in Zanzibar in May 2024, as well as others working in the NBT sector in the region, also specifically working closely with the Mafia Island team on the island’s case study.

The project will produce a regional baseline report (the first of its kind) on the status of nature-based tourism (NBT) in the blue economy in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, including a detailed case study on Mafia Island and an assessment of the potential for NBT and ways to unlock this on the island, as well other short text box case study examples, relevant infographics and a roadmap and recommendations for unlocking and growing NBT in the blue economy in the WIO region.  All of this aims to support data-driven decision-making and practice related to NBT in the region, as well as being used for advocacy to ensure the conservation of, and investment in, the natural resources on which the NBT depends.