Containing the papers presented at the second conference organised on island sustainability by the Wessex Institute of Technology, the book addresses the massive scale of seasonal population mobility that has such a profound effect on coastal regions and islands. The problems that result from large temporary increases in population are especially serious for islands and archipelagos, which have limited resources and possibilities of developing supporting infrastructures.

Most islands cannot provide all the resources required by a large seasonal tourist population; in many cases basic requirements such as water and energy, as well as agricultural produce, must therefore be imported. Authorities need to carefully evaluate the impact of large seasonal population increases on the community and the resulting socio-economic factors, as well as issues related to transportation and communication, all of which should be part of an overall strategy.

The topics covered include: Planning and Development; Tourism Impact and Strategies; Socio-economic Issues; Infrastructure.