Managing for sustainable commercial whitewater rafting in Northern New South Wales, Australia

Nature-based tourism has the potential to cause significant ecosystem damage without effective management. Traditionally, managers have used various planning instruments to determine sustainable use levels. In addition to planning instruments, it has been recognised that economic instruments can also be valuable in ensuring the sustainable use of environmental resources. This paper uses a case study of whitewater rafting in northeast New South Wales (NSW) to illustrate how planning and economic instruments can be used jointly to determine a sustainable management regime for a nature-based recreational activity.