The multiple aspects of safety and security of people have always deserved the highest importance in human society. Today, the world faces huge, general instability with constant global risks and threats in daily life. Instability and insecurity jeopardize the economy and social relations at all levels. Those involved in economic activities like tourism have always understood safety and security are essential conditions for development. Coastal and maritime tourism are very vulnerable. This chapter covers the safety and security of the tourist in activities he can perform in coastal and maritime territories and the risks and threats he can face there. Authors present a Portuguese situation on the subject, and give ideas to minimize insecurity from both points of view (safety and security) in coastal and maritime tourism.
TopIntroduction
The multiple aspects of safety and security of people and goods is a subject that has always deserved the highest importance in human society. Today, the world is facing a huge general instability in which global risks and threats are a constant in the daily life of people. Every day the mass media spread out information about events that very well show the insecurity that is felt at the global, regional or local level and that can affects the States, the institutions or the citizens. This instability and insecurity surely cause great concern and jeopardize the economy and social relations at all levels.
Within the economic activities, as is the case of tourism, safety and security have always understood as essential conditions for its development. When safety and security are not guaranteed in tourism, the consequences are unpredictable and always have a very high cost for citizens, economic operators and even for the States. That´s why in any areas of interest for tourism safety and security are increasingly taken seriously, assuming themselves as a key factor in planning a trip. Since failures at this level are seen as a risk for the physical integrity of citizens, they are considered as a restrictive factor to the development of tourism and, therefore, the competitiveness of this sector within the global economy.
On the other hand, as we can realize from some cases recently occurred in many parts of the world, and even from other situations that occurred many years ago with the same purpose, coastal and sea tourism is very vulnerable from the safety and security point of view.
In any analysis made on this subject the focus of concern is the tourist. That is the reason why this paper addresses the risks and threats that hang over the tourist when using coastal territories and the sea in the different activities he is able to perform out there.
In this work, we will cover the safety and security of the tourist in activities such as water sports, bathing, recreational or professional diving, yachting, fishing and other maritime tourist activities using recreational boats, or simply sightseeing and jogging by the seaside. The safety and security relating to passenger ships, on board and ashore, will also be addressed.
This approach will take into account natural hazards, risks arising from citizens’ lack of care when making use of this territory and risks arising from hostile acts such as terrorism or maritime piracy.
Finally, we will present some ideas that can contribute to minimizing insecurity in coastal and sea tourism, hoping they can also contribute to the safety and security of tourism and of the society in a broader perspective.