A gaming simulation of the tourism impacts on an island ecosystem: An exercise in interdisciplinary research

This paper describes and evaluates the application of a gaming simulation exercise used in a summer school seminar on interdisciplinary research methods. The seminar was held on the Greek island of Skopelos sponsored by the intergovernmental program Man and the Biosphere (MAB) project No. 7 “Ecology and rational use of insular ecosystems” under the auspices of UNESCO's Division of Human Settlements and Socio‐Cultural Environment. The focus of this exercise is the study of tourism's impacts in minor Mediterranean islands and coastal areas. The purpose of the research is to provide decision makers with the basis for sound management of the islands' physical and social resources that would lead to the improvement of the inhabitants’ quality of life. Tourism was identified as one of the most significant sectors in the islands studied.