Coastal Tourism and Impacts of Human Mobility in a Climate of Change - Islands, Archipelagos, Peninsulas, & Fjords

Maritime coastal regions are undergoing rapid transformation due to the intersecting forces of climate change and evolving patterns of mobility. Recent evidence highlights that climate change is not only a driver of environmental stressors (such as coastline erosion, severe weather events, pollution, and natural hazards) but is also exacerbated by intensified maritime traffic, mass tourism, and related socioeconomic pressures. Amid rising concerns, scholars have also identified hidden controversies and growing inequalities, particularly affecting local and indigenous communities, sparking urgent debates about conservation, heritage management, and social justice in these vulnerable spaces. Dominant theories in mobility studies, maritime spatiality, and coastal tourism management demonstrate that these challenges occur across various geographies, yet much remains unknown about how local complexities and community responses intersect and evolve under accelerating global change. This Research Topic operates within what we term a “climate of change” -- a framework in which both environmentally driven transitions and political dynamics jointly influence the state of affairs in maritime coastal regions.

This Research Topic aims to advance critical dialogue and cross-disciplinary understanding of how climate change and new mobilities are reshaping maritime coastal regions. Key objectives include examining the dynamics and impacts of cruise tourism, territoriality of maritime spaces, and the emergence of local conflicts and inequalities -- particularly among marginalized groups and indigenous populations. Contributors are encouraged to situate their analyses in relevant theoretical frameworks such as decolonial approaches, reflexive geographies, coastal heritage studies, and island studies, with a view to uncovering nuanced policy implications and strategies that strengthen community resilience, sustainable tourism practices, and cultural stewardship.

The scope of this Research Topic spans case studies and comparative analyses from islands, peninsulas, archipelagos, fjords, and coastal zones worldwide, with attention to both Arctic and non-Arctic regions. We seek to collect empirical, conceptual, ethnographic, and theoretical contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

- Climate change and mobility in maritime regions
- Geographies and spatialities of maritime space
- Territoriality and governance of oceanic and coastal environments
- The multifaceted impacts of cruise tourism
- Inequalities, controversies, and conflicts at local and community scales
- Indigenous perspectives and responses to environmental and mobility challenges
- Sustainable tourism practices and community resilience
- Coastal and maritime heritage management
- Policy innovations and responses in changing maritime contexts

All submissions should highlight theoretical grounding and implications for policy, community practices, and institutional frameworks. Empirical, conceptual, ethnographic, and comparative study types are welcome.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Climate change and mobility, Geographies of maritime space and spatialities, Sustainable Coastal tourism, Cruise Tourism, Conflicts and inequalities

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.