This book brings together literature on Coastal and Marine Tourism to provide a comprehensive introduction to the development, impacts and management of Tourism in these coastal regions to offer insight into what makes this distinct from other forms tourism. The book achieves this by reviewing the history and motivation for coastal and marine tourist visits. It then reviews tourist activity, its organization and interaction with three main types of place: shorelines, urban resorts, and the ocean. In order to supply tourists’ needs, resources and businesses in these settings are then discussed and analyzed, within both an economic and geographical context. The focus of discussion then moves to examining the impacts of coastal and marine tourism on environments and local people, as well as future sustainable development.

The book takes a multidisciplinary approach and offers original models for consideration and debate. It looks at coastal tourism globally, drawing out both underlying themes and cultural differences that impact upon coastal and marine tourism in different parts of the world. Well chosen international case studies with reflective questions at the end are integrated throughout to provide readers with valuable insight into the practicalities of developing and managing these destinations. To encourage reflection on main themes address and critical thinking, discussion questions and links to further reading are included in each chapter.

This introduction to Coastal Tourism is essential reading for students studying on Tourism as well as Coastal Management programmes.