Assessing the Extent to which Sustainable Coastal Tourism affects Economic Development within the Mthunzini Area, South Africa

This paper examines the role of tourism as a key driver of economic development, emphasizing its ability to generate revenue, employment, investment, and exports, along with valuable spin-off benefits, such as cultural heritage preservation and improved infrastructure. However, it also highlights the need to consider the long-term ecological impacts of tourism. Grounded in Ecological Economics, the paper addresses two themes: the effect of coastal tourism on economic development and the interventions undertaken to promote sustainable coastal tourism. A qualitative study was conducted, utilizing semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observations to gain insights into the ecological development status in Mthunzini. The findings indicate that the uMlalazi Local Municipality has identified development zones conducive to new tourism initiatives, the growth of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), and job creation, in alignment with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act. The paper concludes that marketing and advertising efforts strengthen Public-Private Partnerships for economic development, and improve institutional support to explore innovative funding solutions for tourism projects. The contribution of this study to scholarship is the attempt to balance ecological sustainability and tourism. Ecological economics is grounded in striking this balance. The study is also contributing to the growing literature on sustainable coastal tourism. Keywords: Sustainable Coastal tourism, Ecological Economics, Ocean Economy