Beaches, when did they stop being sexy?

Whether lazing by the seaside during the summer, or escaping to exotic beaches during the winter, coastal regions have always been a space for relaxing. This form of travel is called ‘Coastal Tourism’, which is defined as  the temporary movement of people to aquatic environments or ‘blue spaces’.  Overtime, as recreation has become more valued to human wellbeing, coastal tourism has gained popularity through offering engaging scenery and a relaxing break from the day to day grind. With gaining popularity however, our natural spaces have been captured by the tourism industry, with large resorts dominating coastlines. Through sustainability scares and aggressive capitalism, our beaches are starting to lose their sex appeal.

Tourism and climate change; environmental impacts

Blue spaces are more than just natural resources. With island states, tropical beaches and surf coasts appealing to holiday goers, the profitability and subsequent privatisation of the tourism industry has shifted focus from the ecosystem and the cultural significance of the landscape. This is capitalist tourism, which favours economic benefits to the detriment of environmental sustainability.

This process, in conjunction with the threat of climate change, has global and local consequences.

According to Ozbeaches, Australia has over 10,600 beaches, and therefore it’s not surprising that Australian holidays are dominated by coastal visits. A key Australian tourist attraction is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world. Corals face significant threats from unsustainable coastal tourism, manifesting through boats and anchors wreaking havoc on the ocean floor, foot traffic erosion, and pollution run off from coastal resorts.

Human induced climate change exacerbates these impacts. The Great Barrier Reef is already struggling with constant influx of tourists, let alone the increasing frequency of extreme climatic conditions. Coastal locations are threatened by global warming induced sea level rises and coastal erosion. Our beautiful reefs are further damaged by coral bleaching, promoted by global temperature rises and ocean acidity. Coral bleaching, caused when a coral is under stress, is a key mitigation concern in Australia, which has experienced 4 major bleaching events since 2016.

Capitalist tourism and climate change are involved in a very toxic relationship. Unsustainable tourism contributes to further climate change that devalues the tourism industry. Construction of coastal infrastructure and mass movement of tourists damages dune systems and coral ecosystems, exposing these spaces to harsh climate extremes. When combined, this relationship causes greater damage to the attractiveness of marine environments.  Threatened by a possible drop in the Great Barrier Reef’s popularity, the tourism industry looks towards new mitigation initiatives. For example: The Tourism Reef Protection Initiative that unites tourism platforms in collecting reef monitoring records and active pest removal. To achieve interconnected ecological and economical sustainability, the entire tourism network needs to adopt such practices, as the threat of climate change increases.

Socioeconomic consequences

As the climate crisis intensifies, tourism’s impact also raises another crucial: can the complete commodification of beaches be economically sustained? We must re-evaluate the long-term economic viability of this system. Thus a crucial debate emerges – should governments whose economies are dependent on beach tourism prioritise further commodification or stricter regulations?

Jamaica is an excellent case that shows that sole commodification of beaches has damaging consequences on people and the economy. Jamaica has been the premier Caribbean holiday destination for decades, associated with Reggae, Rastafari and Reefa. However, this idyllic image masks a sickening reality: Jamaica’s beach-tourism scene is marred by ultra commodification and economic apartheid. Critics argue that the development of Jamaican beach tourism primarily benefits wealthy Western tourists and privileged local residents, particularly those of European descent, which in the political context of #BlackLivesMatter appears to be an unjust reality. Less than 1% of Jamaica’s coastline is accessible to the public, with many locals landlocked out of beach commodification’s promises.

A leading example is one of the largest resort chains, Sandals, owned by a white Jamaican, Adam Stewart. Stewart has expressed a commitment to “rewrite the history books of the Caribbean – especially in Jamaica – one hotel, one guest, and one community at a time.” But Sandals resorts have inflicted significant harm on Jamaica’s predominantly black native population. While Stewart and his family have become billionaires, local fishermen have been barred from the beach, increasing food imports and foreign economic reliance. Thus, by prioritising profit over environmental preservation and local communities, exclusionary beach policies inflict suffering, often without tourists even realising.

Tourists are starting to choose small native-owned beach tourism, rejecting discriminatory policies. Yet, this isn’t enough as capitalism needs reform. These resorts promote beach exclusivity to enhance Jamaica’s sexiness, but these are outdated norms, which diminishes beach appeal. While some restrictions are acceptable, denying local citizens access to entire beaches is unacceptable. To prevent over commercialisation, beach access needs to be equitably regulated, addressing localised discrimination and climate destruction.

Local accessibility is therefore an essential factor in safeguarding Jamaica’s delicate beach ecosystems. Unregulated coastal development and limited beach access have led to marine habitat deterioration. By allowing locals to access and take care of their own beaches, we can foster a sense of stewardship and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sexy beach scene.  As Jamaica’s tourism ethics are questioned, beaches face not only environmental threats but also economic problems, endangering quality of life. Sustainable beach regulation offers an achievable solution to exploitative capitalism.

Sustainable Tourism as the Solution

The environmental and socioeconomic impacts of capitalist tourism on beaches are presently disastrous and will eventually lead to its collapse, leaving behind locals to feed on the scraps of a once thriving industry. To prevent such a scenario, a sustainable model of tourism is needed, allowing for both tourists and locals to enjoy beaches. One Brazilian beach stands out due to its unique take on ecotourism and its strict regulation which seek to balance tourism as both a source of income and a means of protection.

Located on the island of Fernando de Noronha is Sancho Bay, titled the world’s best beach for six consecutive years. The beach is known for its pristine waters and strong restrictions on tourist numbers. Tourists are required to pay an environmental preservation fee (Taxa de Preservaçao Ambiental) and a marine conservation fee before using the island’s beaches. The legislation of Sancho Bay prioritises the environment, prohibiting single-use plastic and establishing mandatory recycling, thereby applying environmental responsibility onto tourists. Furthermore, island infrastructure development is restricted, prioritising the environment preservation and ecotourism experiences. Consequently, this has limited the locals from undertaking entrepreneurship initiatives.

Sancho Bay, Fernado de Noronha, Brazil © MarconiCouto 2016, iStock.

Yet, while Sancho Bay is a promising model of ecotourism, its capitalist characteristics still promote commodification without incorporating environmental and social costs. To counter this, we recommend the sustainable tourism model; this model considers the environmental and socio-economic impacts of capitalism while recognising that whilst tourists’ actions may worsen the local environment, local residents shouldn’t be excluded from its economic benefits. The sustainable tourism model recognises the different scales of tourism that beaches have and proposes appropriate regulations to accommodate. Smaller islands can limit their quantity of tourists while larger coastal spaces can enforce legislation concerning the environment. Additionally, sustainable tourism involves indigenous people to allow for local economic empowerment. A sustainable model of tourism doesn’t seek to accumulate capital but works to nurture individual wellbeing for locals and tourists through regulation and preservation of environmental and cultural authenticity.

Along with the sustainable model of tourism, we recommend the ‘blue economy’ framework as a means for social, economic and environmental development through sustainable utilisation of the ocean. The framework highlights the sustainable usage of oceans and other water bodies to safeguard them for future generations; this helps decrease harmful practices such as trawling and oil pollution. The blue economy framework promotes economic growth through proper use of water resources, emphasising collaboration between newer industries like renewable energy alongside traditional ones like fisheries and tourism. The framework encourages regional transnational collaboration, as waters are not contained to just one region, encouraging states to share knowledge and resources to address prevalent issues.

The impacts of climate change are so intertwined with our livelihoods that they might not be distinguishable initially. Identifying the correlation between this global crisis and capitalist tourism helps to visualise how damage on local communities, economies and environments can be exacerbated. It is not possible to rid our coastlines of tourism, or to completely abandon the economic stability it provides communities. Instead, sustainable, conscious capitalism should be implemented at a consumer level through educating communities to ensure environmental restoration and preservation. Like the saying; ‘Take only pictures and leave only footprints,’ collective promotion of educated and community driven practices will shift the focus away from greedy corporations and unsustainable resorts. By working together, we can truly appreciate our sexy beaches.

The set image reproduces ‘Sancho Bay – Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Pernambuco, Brazil’ by Rodrigo Mazzola available at Wikimedia Commons.