The Importance of Shoreline Beaches for Coastal Tourism Potential and Their Diversities on the Odisha Coast

Abstract

Odisha’s coastal districts support 18 sandy beaches along the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal. Traditionally, sandy beaches have played a significant role as recreational sites and as attractions upon, which coastal tourism development has been based. Sufficient beach amenities and high-quality beach environs are growing as per the demand of tourists in and around the destinations. Due to the pressure of tourists and also due to tourism infrastructural development, the availability of such beach environs is diminishing gradually along the dynamic coast. Frequent cyclone attacks, shoreline erosion rates, dune modifications, accumulation of marine litter, beach litter, and habitat disturbance will be the management challenges in the coastal zone of Odisha. The use of sandy beaches for coastal tourism may be affected in the region, and that will have a significant impact on the environment, society, and economy of the coastal districts. The study highlights diminishing beach environs, conflicts between tourists and locals, and the evolution of natural beaches into “city by the sea (crowdy)”, economic impacts, and sustainable management of beach resources. The present study is conducted on the basis of field surveys, tourism statistics of Odisha coastal districts, and geospatial techniques.