Las costas, regiones de desarrollo del turismo

Abstract

The coasts have become favorite spaces for tourist activities, this has caused modifications in the natural environment generating unsustainable damages in maritime and terrestrial spaces in the destinations, to satisfy an increasing demand of visitors, who increasingly require new satisfiers. Therefore, the activities must be regulated for their proper use. This dynamic has generated an increase in new residents attracted by employ‑ ment benefits or by second residence, a new type of tourism that makes beach places their “home” temporarily. Local people receive unfair benefits of tourism such as employment, expanding public services, and the genera‑ tion of wealth, but also the negative effects as general environmental degradation, loss of identity and traditions, as well as their social spaces, which must be shared with tourists. For this reason, local communities seek the cultural preservation of their popular festivals, among others. We present in this volume, work that analyze the configuration of tourism in coastal spaces, how the public, private and cooperative initiatives are built. Also, about the construction of their tourist identity from representative images, the role of science and sustainable planning based on tourists and local inhabitants’ perception of economic and socio-cultural capacities. These al‑ low an approximation to the reality of coastal areas based on tourism, the challenges they face in planning and operation, the living conditions of local populations and the natural environment, but also the opportunities it offers for the development and well-being of the local population when sustainable processes are carried out.