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Island Studies Journal, 14(2), November 2019, pages 115-136

Small islands as ecotourism destinations: a central

Mediterranean perspective

Karl Agius

Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture, University of Malta, Malta
karl.agius.05@um.edu.mt (corresponding author)

Nadia Theuma
Institute for Tourism, Travel and Culture, University of Malta, Malta
nadia.theuma@um.edu.mt

Alan Deidun
Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Malta
alan.deidun@um.edu.mt

Liberato Camilleri

Department of Statistics & Operations Research, University of Malta, Malta
liberato.camilleri@um.edu.mt

Abstract: A prerequisite for ecotourism development is the presence of natural environments,
normally exhibited in protected areas, which serve as ecotourism venues. Little attention has
been given to Mediterranean islands in terms of ecotourism. In this paper, nine islands in the
central Mediterranean region were studied through a case study approach to investigate their
potential as ecotourism destinations, taking into account the presence of protected areas and
related aspects, including spatial dimensions and quality, to fulfil ecotourists. Larger islands with
higher population densities were found to experience habitat fragmentation, and protected areas
were thus in some cases relatively small and dispersed. In contrast, smaller, less populated islands
were found to be more ideal ecotourism destinations due to limited anthropogenic impact and
their capacity to fulfil the expectations of the ‘true specialists’, also known as ‘hard ecotourists’.
Quality of ecotourism venues was found to affect ecotourist satisfaction. Ideal ecotourism sites
on heavily impacted islands were found on the island periphery, in coastal and marine locations,
with marine ecotourism serving as the ideal ecotourism product on such islands.

Keywords: Central Mediterranean, ecotourism, habitat fragmentation, islands, protected areas,
tourism

https://doi.org/10.24043/isj.97 • Received November 2018, accepted July 2019

© 2019—Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

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