The removal of a municipal campsite on the coastline has reopened the debate on equal access to the shore. While luxury hotels and exclusive resorts are prioritized, families with fewer resources lose an affordable option to enjoy the sea. This decision contradicts the principle that natural spaces should be a common good, not a privilege for a few with high purchasing power.
Technology and planning: sensors to measure actual occupancy 🌊
The technical solution involves implementing coastal monitoring systems using IoT sensors that measure user density and the use of public facilities. This data would allow city councils to establish mandatory quotas for affordable accommodation in any new tourism development. With urban planning algorithms, a minimum percentage of public or low-cost spaces could be guaranteed, preventing coastal gentrification and ensuring popular access without depending on private operators.
Luxury or beach: the modern city council's dilemma 🏖️
It is curious that, in a country where sun and beach are almost an unwritten constitutional right, a hotel with a spa is preferred over a campsite where people shower with cold water. It seems that the new coastal policy boils down to: if you can't pay 300 euros for a deckchair, you'd better stay home watching the sea on YouTube. Of course, then we complain that the coast looks like a private club with waves included.