Thesis Defense - Social Carrying Capacity of Cruise Tourism in Ísafjörður
In the coming weeks, UW master's students will defend their theses. The subjects are varied and the students are from both master's programs, Coastal Marine Management and Coastal Communities and Regional Development. The defenses are accessible to everyone through zoom links but they are also open to the public, at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður.
Student: Elizabeth Riendeau
Thesis title: Setting Course for Sustainability - Evaluating the Social Carrying Capacity of Cruise Tourism in Ísafjörður, Iceland
Program: Coastal and Marine Management
Abstract
The steep growth of cruise ship tourism worldwide has led to concerns about how destinations are able to cope with the increasing volume of tourists. Cruise tourism is associated with several social, and environmental impacts that can often call into question the industry’s sustainability. This study focuses on Ísafjörður, a small town situated in the Westfjords of Iceland with a rapidly increasing cruise tourism influx. Following up on a previous study of the social sustainability of cruise calls to Ísafjörður from 2013 (O’Brien, 2014), this thesis explores changes in the perspective of residents towards cruise passengers over a decade. Since then, other studies were conducted on the topic, however, none were conducted utilizing a community survey, or considering post-COVID-19 tourism. This thesis seeks to identify how much cruise ship tourism is wanted by residents and their attitudes and tolerance of the industry. Furthermore, this thesis explores the perspectives of managing stakeholders and experts to understand how they might contrast with those of residents. A community survey was used to gauge the resident's tolerance, while interviews were conducted with five key stakeholders. Results show that the cruise industry in Ísafjörður has reached its carrying capacity, and residents are against further growth. However, support for the status quo was found to be more divided, with many residents found to be tolerant towards the current number of incoming tourists. Based on these findings, it is recommended to put in place a cap on cruise passenger numbers, while ensuring that new limitations are informed by local voices.