Communication Tool Kit

Why communications?

Communication is a valuable element in combating the degradation of coral reefs. Communication in fact can raise the awareness of tourism key players, from tourism entrepreneurs to the tourists themselves, and lead then to more responsible behaviour and business practices.

The United Nations Environment Programme promotes and supports the communication efforts of businesses and organizations that want to promote coral reefs conservation and responsible travel. With the support of the French Government, UNEP has designed five communication tools and now made them available free of charge to any organization and business interested in re-printing,

Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German, the five tools can be distributed along with travel documents or in in-flight magazines, in hotel lobbies and rooms, or at travel agencies, airport lounges, visitor information centers, reception areas, and recreation centres, as a effective mean to support the conservation of coral reefs.

The philosophy underlying the five tools is captured in the tools' logo. It's my choice - Coral or no coral? points out in fact that every individual action counts, even if small. Each of us has therefore a saying if coral reef will continue to exist or not.

The Passport:
Targeted at all tourists, the passport introduces the main biological and ecological features of coral reefs - their formation, their main elements, their ecological significance, and main threats. The passport explains to visitors why coral reefs should be protected, and that, without reefs, the tropical paradise they are visiting would not exist. The introduction provides space for the traveler's picture and name, and a map on which the traveler can mark the coral reefs he or she has visited. (Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German).

The Quiz:
Designed for children from 8 to 12 years, the quiz asks twenty-four questions about coral reef biology and ecology, as well as threats and recommendations on how to protect reefs. (Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German).

The Poster:
The poster highlights how tourists can contribute to the protection of coral reefs while on holiday. It is a supporting tool to the passport -a reminder of ten simple actions that tourists can take, from avoiding fish feeding or touching corals, to switching off the lights when leaving their hotel room. (Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German).

The Boaters' Chart:
Specially targeted to boaters - motor or sailing - the boaters' chart highlights five symbols used on navigation charts to indicate no-anchor areas, mooring buoys, protected areas, used oil containers and the "divers down" flag. There is specific information on how to manage solid waste, holding tanks, refueling and anchoring practices. (Available in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German).

The Calendar:
The calendar, targeting hotel managers, provides recommendations on twelve areas of action that are linked to the protection of coral reefs, including waste water treatment, solid waste management, energy use, shopping for souvenirs, and tips for snorkeling and scuba diving. Two detachable pages list contacts for organizations in the Caribbean region that can provide more assistance and information to hotel managers and tourists alike. (Available in English, Spanish, French, and for 2002, 2003 and 2004)

The five tools are available as camera-ready electronic files in Quark Xpress 3.32 for Mac - ready to be sent to the printer!

The organizations supporting the printing and dissemination may want to include their logos in a special area available in all the five tools.

Businesses and organizations, interested in printing the tools, will be asked to sign an agreement declaring that nothing in the files will be changed, with the exception of adding their logo in the appropriate area, as indicated in the printing guidelines.

The QuarkXpress 3.32 for Mac files can be obtained by contacting: tourism@unep.fr