Conference program and abstracts - Coastal-Change.Org

The Coastal and Marine Tourism of East coast of India:
Implications to Environmental Impact
Jayaraju .N., and Sreenivasulu , G.,
Department of Geology Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa- 516 003, India
, e-mail: nadimikeri@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Marine and coastal tourism is one of the fastest growing areas within the
world's largest industry. Yet despite increased awareness of the economic
and environmental significance of marine and coastal tourism it is only in
recent years that a substantial body of research has emerged. Marine
tourism has surfaced as a pressing topic in the field of ocean and coastal
management. In fact , the tourism industry has become the largest
business on earth with our boarders. Coastal tourism development has
often insufficiently understood the coastal environment. The tourism
experience provides valuable lessons for coastal zone management: the
necessity for Environmental Impact Assessment, management of
increasing tourist numbers, evaluation of small-scale resort development,
consideration of conservation, defining and revising planning standards,
and aiming for sustainable development.. The ability of coastlines to
absorb tourism is not limitless. The coast has a certain carrying capacity, a
level of tourist development or recreational activity beyond which the
environment is degraded (environmental carrying capacity), facilities
saturated (physical carrying capacity), or visitor enjoyment diminished
(perceptual or social carrying capacity). India has a coast line of
7,516kms of which the East coast is approximately 4000 km long and has a
continental shelf of approximately 6860 km². It is famous worldwide for its
high biological diversity. India's East Coast marine and coastal resources
are subject to increasing environmental impacts from coastal tourism,
including overuse or over harvesting of resources, sewage and oil
pollution, diminishing fresh water supply, solid waste pollution,
deforestation, declining energy supplies, air pollution and siltation. The
article traces the growth of tourism in India, reviews industry trends,
assesses the economic impacts and discusses environmental impacts. A
broad ranging series of recommendations to improve conditions in such
areas as drinking water, sewage, beach erosion, energy, education and
training, research and hotel development are listed. Many authorities are
now looking at ways of guiding future tourist growth so as to avoid the
environmental, economic and other problems which have emerged in
the past. The present paper gives insights in to the coastal tourism with
some possible recommendation for the sustainable development of this
growing sector.
The Fourth IGCP 588: PREPARING FOR COASTAL CHANGE 29