INFLUENCE OF BEACH TOURISM IN A COASTAL COMMUNITY: A STUDY AT MARARIKULAM

Abstract

Tourism today is emerging as a leading sector in the world and is now considered by some as the number one industry. Coastal tourism is the sum of activities relating to the travel and stay over by people visiting the coastal zone. Coastal tourism developments comprise developments and activities conducted upon land immediately adjacent to the shoreline, coastal wetlands, estuaries and tidal waters and associated marine waters. The present study is an attempt to find out the changes in the coastal community due to the influence of beach tourism in Mararikulam .A pilot study was conducted to understand the feasibility of this study. As part of it researcher visited the Mararikulam coastal area and discussed the influence of tourism projects with local people including local leaders, social workers and those who work in tourism projects. The study adopted quantitative approach with a cross sectional design. Size of the sample was 60 respondents. Respondents were selected by following the technique of purposive sampling. The study found that that coastal tourism has produced both positive and negative economic as well as environmental impacts. The tourism in this coastal community helps to reduce the unemployment among native people and provides new emerging job like umbrella selling, life guard, security etc, native people, especially aged population have the fear of loss of their moral values and existing social order but they support tourism because it provides them economic stability and fishing is not adequate for their livelihood. Tourism led to the infrastructural development of their region. The findings of the present study can be used by the local Panchayath officials and other authorities to evolve better strategies for the further development of tourism in coastal areas