The Socioeconomic Importance of Eco-Resort Management Practices

In recent years, ecotourism has become an increasingly important alternative form of sustainable tourism. Couran Cove Island Resort, which is located on South Stradbroke Island off the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, is an eco-resort on one of the world's few naturally occurring sand islands. As an ecotourism-based resort, Couran Cove is active in implementing a range of initiatives for sustainable management of its environment, which is particularly important as it is home to a wide variety of plant communities. Consequently, the resort has a niche market of ecotourists. This paper examines how Couran Cove Island Resort applies the principles of ecotourism in its environmental management and marketing practices.