ABSTRACT
Within the context of coastal and marine tourism destinations, coral reefs play an important role as an attraction for day visitors, divers, snorkelers, sailors, and for non-swimmers via glass-bottom boats and underwater viewing chambers (Lück 2008). In some areas of the world, reef tourism is the largest national and/or regional income earner and one of the largest employers (Brander et al. 2007). For example, in Tropical North Queensland the tourism industry receives 1.9 million reef visitors, is valued at AU$5 billion, and employs 55,000 people (GBRMPA 2007). Many reefs, however, are under increasing pressure from over exploitation either through tourism or more often through over-fishing, coastal development, sewerage discharge, deforestation and farming (Carpenter et al. 2008).
