Conditions and changing capacity. Tourism is the fastest-growing sector of the global economy, accounting for $3.5 trillion in 1999. Some areas have been degraded by tourist trade, particularly coral reefs, but the converse effect of coastal degradation on the industry as a whole is unknown.

Data quality. Typically, only national data on tourism are available, rather than data specific to coastal zones. Not all coastal countries report tourism statistics, and information on the impacts of tourism and the capacity of coastal areas to support tourism is very limited.