Coastal tourism development in Southeast Asia: relevance and lessons for coastal zone management

The increasing demand for resorts has brought about substantial changes in the spatial and structural patterns of coastal tourism development in Southeast Asia. While unplanned resort development has resulted and will continue to have negative impacts on the coastal environment, integrated resort development will increase significantly in future. Islands, which often are ideal locations for resorts, are more vulnerable because of their limited resources and size. 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.