Coastal Tourism: Development Patterns, Issues and Challenges

The pattern and impacts consequent upon tourism development in coastal settings, one of the most enduring human aspects of modern times, is rather intriguing. In many ways, it exemplifies the most manifestive aspect of tourism development since 1960s'. In India, hosting the sun-sea-sand drifters of Western origin has history of over six decades and in course many patches of its long coast has been transformed into virtual paradise for holiday-makers! Equally interesting has been tourism's evolution as powerful agent of change, largely organic and bereft of meaningful State and/or corporate patronage. Indeed, conspicuous indifference of the planning machinery has virtually left tourism a lame-duck, subjecting for it to mend itself and sustain. In spite of this, tourism's influence on the socioeconomic fabric of coastal areas has been tremendous and many such cases can be located in Kerala and Goa. Tourism also transforms many components of destinations, often irreversibly, inviting criticism. Idea for present work emerged out of this and specifically it endeavours mapping a trajectory of tourism-induced transformation processes in coastal places and space along India's West Coast.