Mark Daley

"Last chance tourism” threatens coral reefs in Florida as tourists flock to a natural sight that is disappearing, due to climate change. The increased tourism activity speeds up the rates at which the coral deteriorates from disease and bleaching. Clearly, this type of tourism is unsustainable as the coral is destroyed even faster. The increased foot traffic can be the final blow. Publicly-available tourism data is analyzed to identify correlations between an increase in tourist numbers and the increase in mortality, disease, and bleaching of Floridian coral. Preliminary results show clear trends between last chance tourism and the health of coral reefs off the coast of Florida. The health of the environment is crucial to achieve sustainable development goals. Coral reefs serve a greater purpose for the protection of the coastal zone, its food, and the economy. This analysis serves as a piece of the puzzle to educate and show the damage last chance tourism has on Florida's coral and hopefully lead to better management and protection practices. ​