ABSTRACT

In this chapter, the authors apply a systems perspective to think through a complex wicked problem surrounding the management of a tourism industry that is reliant on whale sharks in Western Australia. They present a case study which focuses on whale shark tourism in the World Heritage Area, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The authors provide an overview of the whale shark tourism industry before applying the design principles. Tourism is the largest component of Exmouth's economy; it is linked to the three other local industries, i.e. the military, pastoralism and mining. Governance of common pool resources (CPR) is a tricky balancing act, as not only is there potential to deplete the resource but also excessive regulation can severely stunt economic growth. The challenge of CPR management in a social marketing sense is how to reduce or prevent externalities.