Developing a Comprehensive Index for Beaches to Enhance Sustainability and Visitor Experience Through Holistic Monitoring

This study presents the development of the Comprehensive Index for Beaches (CIB), a holistic tool designed to address the limitations of traditional beach monitoring systems by integrating social and ecological dimensions within a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework. While existing certification schemes predominantly emphasize physical parameters such as water quality and sand cleanliness, they often overlook critical social factors like safety perceptions, overcrowding, and user behavior. This oversight is significant because these social factors play a vital role in shaping visitor satisfaction, supporting community well-being, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the destination. The CIB addresses this gap, offering a multidimensional approach that includes environmental, infrastructural, social, and safety-related dimensions. Through a multi-stage methodology, the index was developed and validated using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with data from over 600 beach visitors across key coastal destinations. Results indicate the robustness of the CIB in capturing both natural and social components, underscoring its theoretical alignment with SES principles and its practical potential to enhance beach management. By prioritizing user perceptions and behaviors alongside ecological parameters, the CIB provides an affordable and adaptable alternative to traditional schemes, fostering improved safety, user satisfaction, and sustainability in diverse beach contexts.