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Vulnerability of Coastal Beach Tourism to Flooding: A Case Study of Galicia, Spain

2017; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; Volume: 4; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3390/environments4040083

2076-3298

Diego Rodríguez-Toubes Muñiz, Stefan Gößling, C. Michael Hall, Daniel Scott,

Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research

Flooding, as a result of heavy rains and/or storm surges, is a persistent problem in coastal areas. Under scenarios of climate change, there are expectations that flooding events will become more frequent in some areas and potentially more intense. This poses a potential threat to coastal communities relying heavily on coastal resources, such as beaches for tourism. This paper develops a methodology for the assessment of coastal flooding risks, based on an index that compares 16 hydrogeomorphological, biophysical, human exposure and resilience indicators, with a specific focus on tourism. The paper then uses an existing flood vulnerability assessment of 724 beaches in Galicia (Spain) to test the index for tourism. Results indicate that approximately 10% of tourism beaches are at high risk to flooding, including 10 urban and 36 rural beaches. Implications for adaptation and coastal management are discussed.