In September 2013, I was accepted by the University of Portsmouth to study for a PhD in beach management. I had previously attained an MSc in geographic information science (GIS) from the University College London (UCL) and a BA (Hons) in geography from the University of Malta. Therefore, this PhD was another step to continue enhancing my knowledge in this field.
My PhD research mainly developed from my love for beaches. Growing up and still living on a small island where beaches are only a couple of minutes away from home awakened my interest in this subject.
Through previous research and further reading, I learned that beaches should be considered as a valuable resource, given that they only amount to circa 1.9 per cent of the Maltese coastline. Additionally, beaches are susceptible to erosion and heavy development, particularly related to their promotion for tourism.
Through my literature review and past experience, my research highlighted that only a few beaches are being managed, and that the main management tool being used is the Blue Flag Award. Additionally, no authority is specifically managing all the beaches, but this is fragmented among different sectors, with the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) being the main authority that is managing most of the beaches that gained the Blue Flag Award. Hence, this instigated my interest in researching more about the development of beach management in Malta and to know what the current issues are.
This research examined the approach towards the management of beaches in the Maltese islands. Specifically, the research aimed to assess the perceptions of the processes of, and approaches to beach management, focusing on beach users’ and stakeholders’ views to develop an integrated and sustainable framework for the future.
Four case studies, each having a specific type of criteria were chosen to examine in detail the problems related to the management of beaches around Malta.
The results obtained from beach users and online questionnaires, as well as the stakeholders’ semi/structured interviews, were examined and assessed. This was done to understand how beaches are being used and to highlight key issues, and based on the results, to propose recommendations to increase the effectiveness of beach management.
The research also developed an integrated and sustainable model that could assist managers in developing management plans for each beach and be able to enforce, monitor and review it.
My research would not have been possible without the constant help of my supervisors and the support of my family. In addition, I would also like to thank the Endeavour Scholarship Committee for partly co-funding my studies. With the help of these funds, I could entirely focus on the research and successfully complete my PhD degree.
Marie Louise Zammit’s research work was partially funded by the Endeavour Scholarship Scheme (Group B).