Pollution in paradise: A conceptual model of beach pollution and tourism

Abstract

The beach has traditionally been viewed as a place of recreation and healing, however pollution from marine debris is increasingly becoming a problem. A potential paradox is created where more attractive sites become more popular and subsequently more degraded due to pollution, which degrades the quality of experience. Although many studies have identified this as an issue, it is unknown how visitors, pollution, and other factors interact with one another. Here the Broker-Local-Tourist (BLT) model is used as a basic framework in an attempt to explore the interactions between tourism and beach pollution. What emerges is a rich description of the different groups contributing to beach pollution, and how this pollution impacts them in turn. This place-based conceptual model provides a useful tool for examining interactions between pollution and tourism and illuminates potential avenues for developing effective pollution prevention measures and avenues for future research.