Sustainable tourism: a study on the cruise sector

The increase in cruise tourism in the last decade is having negative impacts on the environment. Despite various surveillance programs and various policies that see shipping companies committed to reducing the negative effects that fall on the environment, it is still too early to be able to talk about "sustainable cruising". Unfortunately, to date, cruise ships have a negative effect on both the air and the water and can consequently negatively impact the health of humans and animal species. The paper aims to inform the reader, after a careful analysis of the literature, on the current situation of the cruise sector which involves cruise ships. Furthermore, due to the numerous negative externalities, it is currently very difficult to implement a strategic plan that leads the sector to be "sustainable". The purpose of the paper is therefore to quantify to what extent the sector in question impacts on the environment and what could be the policy maneuvers that can be implemented to reduce the impact on the environment and, therefore, the externalities produced. Therefore, in addition to policy implications, the paper also has managerial implications, as it suggests to shipping companies any strategies to adopt to reduce environmental impact and improve reputation.