Environmental Problems Faced By Kovalam Beach

Beach Tourism is the most important tourism sector in Kerala. The long coastline of Kerala is inextricably entwined with the culture, life and tradition of the state. Memories of early seafarers and traders have faced, but boats of various types and styles have survived. Kerala`s beaches, or Kovalam to be more specific, were rediscovered by back-packers and tan-seekers in the sixties. Hordes of hippies followed in the seventies. That started the transformation of the casual fishing village into a busy tourist destination. In 2002, there were 66 hotels in Kovalam and that too in a place that is just 16 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The beach is not just a favorite holiday destination; it's our favorite place to live. Around the world, coastlines have been steadily turned into new housing and tourist developments and many beaches all but disappear under flocks of holiday makers each year. This intense human presence is taking its toll on marine life.