The third group of tourists, much like the second group, viewed the
beach restoration efforts as aesthetically displeasing. However, they differed
from the second group based on their acquisition of information
about the beach from a variety of sources which arguably enabled them
to move beyond the notion of beautification to rationalize environmental
impact. These three emergent frames are examples of social spatialisation
both at the level of the imaginary and the material in shaping
perceptions of space. Tourists drew on spatial practices and representations
of space to inform their perceptions of the landscape and enable
them to discursively (re)create their own symbolic meanings of the
landscape. This article contributes to current knowledge by identifying,
characterizing, and analyzing tourists’ perceptions of eroded coastal
landscapes. It illustrates that as officials deal with the dynamic natural
environment they also have to take into account the social use of space.To accept this point requires that in the advent of climate change,
Lefebvre’s (1991) triadic model of social space is complemented by a
discussion of the accelerated dynamics of the environment. Global climatic
changes will require tourism officials to examine the environmental
consequences of their practices and to abandon representational
strategies that assume a dualism between humans and nature. In fact,
this human-nature dualism, which is often uncritically endorsed by tourists
and tourism, inhibits the comprehension of our increasing role in
the dynamic nature of tourism landscapes. The current study merely explored
a small portion of larger challenges that climate change presents
to tourism. Subsequent investigations are necessary to augment knowledge
on the human-nature relationship as applies to touristic endeavors
as well as daily practices. Lastly, such scholarly undertakings could contribute
to the global dialogue on climate change