Shift Happens

Why your favourite beach holiday destination is disappearing

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On Dimakya Island in Palawan, Philippines, all-inclusive resort Discovery Coron is relocating its beachfront villas further inland as part of a major redevelopment effort.

On Dimakya Island in Palawan, Philippines, Discovery Coron resort is relocating its beachfront villas farther inland.

PHOTO: DISCOVERY CORON

  • Climate change rapidly accelerates coastal erosion, threatening half the world's sandy beaches and major tourism destinations by the century's end.
  • Resorts face shrinking shorelines, unpredictable weather, and costly infrastructure relocation to adapt, potentially passing these sustainability costs onto travellers.
  • Hybrid solutions combining engineered defences with nature-based methods are crucial. Incremental builds amortise costs, requiring swift adoption by private operators.

AI generated

SINGAPORE – Your favourite beach vacation spot is disappearing and the tourism industry is being forced to adapt to a new, unstable reality. 

Around half of the world’s sandy beaches are at risk of being lost to coastal erosion by the end of the century, a stark reminder of how climate change is reshaping some of the planet’s most treasured coastlines.

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