Protected areas, the tourist bubble and regional economic development

Based on demand-side surveys and income multipliers, this study analyzes the structure and economic importance of tourism in two highly frequented protected areas, the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico (SKBR) and the Souss-Massa National Park (SMNP) in Morocco. With regional income effects of approximately 1 million USD (SKBR) and approximately 1.9 million USD (SMNP), both the SKBR and the SMNP play important roles for the regional economies in underdeveloped rural regions. Visitor structures are heterogeneous: with regard to planning and marketing of nature-based tourism, protected area managers and political decision-takers are advised put a stronger focus on ecologically and economically attractive visitor groups.