Tourism is undoubtedly one of the most dominant factors contributing to coastal development in the Western Indian Ocean. Accordingly, as the number of tourists increases so does the number of coastal developments in order to accommodate the number of tourists. These constructions significantly impact the economic development in the WIO region, and the tourism industry contributes largely to the economic growth of many areas. However, tourism may also result in devastating effects on the natural environment. Coastal development may lead to environmental consequences, which are accelerated by increased human activities in the coastal region.

Coastal tourism also contributes to coastal erosion. Coastal development in general is one of the central causes of increased soil erosion which causes sedimentation of rivers, streams and coastal marine areas. Furthermore, coastal development often contributes to deforestation, which is caused by the removal and cutting down of trees along the coastal areas for construction or cooking purposes related to the growing tourism industry. The coastal development ends up having adversative effects on the natural habitats and social contexts along many coastal areas of the WIO. Additionally, coastal erosion makes the WIO more vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events caused by climate change. What is being done to minimize the environmental effects of coastal development?