The total investment in coral reef management and conservation is hard to calculate; a recent study suggests that less than U$S 350 millions have been allocated worldwide to implement, enforce and monitor coral reefs conservation in 2016.
On the other hand, coral reefs and associated environments, provide U$S 375 billions from goods and services including U$S 130 billions for coastal tourism. This means that for every $100 that coastal tourism generates, roughly $0.27 is invested in management and conservation. Undeniably, a gigantic economic gap.
Why to sell Marine Park Users Fees makes sense
Among many other financial mechanisms, users fees in its different forms, tags, bracelets, voluntarily or mandatory, have been a reliable source of income for a few Marine Protected Areas around the world since the early 90’s. But as the numbers above show, this is hardly enough.
As obvious as the concept can be seen, the truth is that most organizations in charge of MPA management do not have the in house capacity to establish or operate a reliable system to collect marine park users fees. Beside, traditional “over the counter” system to sell bracelets or tags, put an enormous pressure and responsibility in the recreational water sport providers and wardens. Oftentimes, they lack the required control mechanisms for good NGO’s financial practices and, more often than not, they become a burden.
Feasibility study
A recent feasibility study financed by Bloomberg Philanthropies and conducted by Reef Support on Bonaire, Curacao and Sint Maarten about how tourists use Internet to plan their vacations, shows that as much as 91% of the tourists use internet to buy their ticket, pay or reserve their accommodation, pay or reserve their rental car or reserve their marine recreation package.
Those results clearly show a new trend in buying tourism related products that was simply non-existent in early nineties when marine parks users fees start being more popular. To profit from this new tendency and to overcome the above described issues, Reef Support created the first online system to collect your users fees.
Reef Support online system to collect your users fees
It offers you not only a safe way to receive money but also access to an ever-growing database of your customers, an unique ticketing system customizable to your park and the possibility of generating also customizable financial reports.
With today’s technologies, communication and marketing tools, any size organization can compete in the major leagues of fund rising.
Reef Support offers you just that, the perfect tool to market your MPA and access an enormous public through marketing, exposure, and easiness to pay.
If you want to have a look what Reef Support have to offer you, please visit https://marineparkfee.com/ and ask for a personal demo.