Coastal Tourism

The coastal zone is the interface between terrestrial and marine environments. While it makes up only 10 % of the world’s entire marine environment and 15 % of the total landmass, it is home to 90 % of all marine species, and about 60 % of the global population live within 60 km of the coast (Dowling and Pforr 2009). Coastal areas are highly contested by a variety of user groups, including residents, primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, as well as tourists and recreationists.

With the development of modern transport, coastal areas have become readily accessible, with the coastlines and islands drawing large numbers of tourists to their shores. Europe experienced the emergence of mass tourism development, with millions traveling to the Mediterranean coasts and islands on affordable package tours. The rise of the Mediterranean holidays resulted in a rapid decline of traditional seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Only recently have these resort towns experienced a...