Land grabbing for tourism projects in Sri Lanka

Without informing the inhabitants of the village of Panama in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Agency (SLTDA) developed a tourism project on their lands under the patronage of the World Bank. 350 families from the village were affected by the project and had to move another place. The families were told their land was being taken to be used for a military camp. The former inhabitants only learned at a later stage that a hotel had been built on their lands, which is run by the Sri Lankan navy. The report by the Society for Threatened Peoples highlights many similar examples of military-run tourism projects in Sri Lanka, which were built at the expenses of local communities.

Rising prices because of private holiday homes

With the ever-rising number of tourists to Mallorca, the number of private holiday homes has increased exorbitantly in recent years and such offers are becoming more and more popular. According to reports, almost a third of all visitors no longer stay in official hotels, but in informal accommodation, such as AirBnB or private holiday apartments. Many of these accommodations are rented unofficially and thus bypass the tax office. It is estimated that in addition to the 350,000 or more official beds on Mallorca, at least 100,000 illegal beds are being offered. To curb these negative effects, a new Tourism Act was installed in 2017, imposing severe penalties for illegal vacation rental without the necessary licenses.

Restricted access to beaches for fishermen

In Sri Lanka, fishing is a family business and often involves entire families. For their business, fishermen need access to beaches. When boats can be moored close to the villages, women can support their husbands to get the fish out of the nets and sell them to intermediaries. If the mooring areas are difficult to reach because of beach resorts and restricted access to beaches, women may be excluded from the fishery production. This may cause a significant loss of income from fish sales and thereby put the livelihoods of entire families at stake.

World Bank study on Kenya's tourism sector

The World Bank found that all-inclusive packages, which tend to place the greatest demand on local natural assets and infrastructure, appear to be contributing the least to public sector revenue in Mombasa on the Kenyan coast.

Testimonies of a tourist conflict in Guanacaste

This article provides information on what progress or decline has been in the conflict between the community and real estate developments in Marbella, Costa Rica.

Best Practice - The Red Frog Beach

The tourist complex Red Frog Beach projected in the Island of Bastimentos, in Panama, is an example of the local communities' mobilization to face the property speculation threat and the use of natural resources linked to tourism.

Effect of coastal developments on climate resilience
 

The issue of important ecosystems being removed in order to build new beaches or resorts is more relevant than ever. The linked article describes the situation of two Caribbean islands, Antigua and Barbuda, where Chinese investors continue their construction projects despite damaged ecosystems. In addition, the article highlights the importance of ecosystems such as the mangroves and explains the current tourism drives and new Chinese rules.

Mexican tourism boom: Tulum’s locals fight evictions as developers move in

Indigenous people and local community in the tourist hotspot fear losing their homes as the land is sold for luxury housing. The rapidly growing district of luxury condominiums looms above a barrio made up of homes inhabited mostly by local Indigenous people. The local community is facing eviction as developers forge ahead with their plans to build on land sold by the Quintana Roo state government to meet the demand for high-end property in the popular beach town. Tensions are brewing in step with rapid gentrification and social change, which has seen the poverty rate jump to 62% – the highest in the country. Indigenous people are being forced further away from the most desirable areas to make way for foreigners who can afford the high prices.

Mallorca plans to cap tourist numbers as part of efforts to crack down on overtourism

Mallorca is looking to cap the number of hotel beds for tourists to combat overcrowding, the island’s governing councils announced. The plan is to set a cap of 430,000 tourist beds across the island, with the President of the Mallorca Council, Catalina Cladera, saying they want “tourism of greater value and less volume”.