Water quality indices and their impact on coastal pollution and tourist satisfaction: A systematic review
- 1Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, NTNU, Aalesund, Norway
Abstract
This study examines the application of Water Quality Indices (WQIs) as functional instruments for evaluating the health of coastal and aquatic ecosystems and for facilitating tourism-dependent coastal management. Coastal waters are important for the economy, recreation, and protecting biodiversity, but they are becoming more polluted and less appealing as tourist destinations because of urbanization, poor waste management, and climate-related stressors. A comprehensive search of Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore up to 30 November 2024, following PRISMA rules, found 3,477 records. Of them, 35 research met strict inclusion requirements and focused on the construction or use of WQIs in coastal tourism areas. The research found six key index groupings. Pollution Indices (28.3%) and general Water Quality Indices (16.7%) were used the most, which shows how important they are for monitoring the environment. Methodological trends indicate a growing dependence on statistical methods (31.6%), machine learning techniques (10.5%), and GIS-based spatial analysis for identifying spatiotemporal pollution patterns and conveying hazards to managers. A consistent finding across the studies was that degraded water quality—due to eutrophication, turbidity, or microbial contamination—adversely impacts tourist satisfaction, diminishes the recreational and aesthetic value of beaches, and may deter repeat visits, thereby establishing a connection between environmental conditions and local economic resilience. The review indicates that context-specific, tourist-sensitive Water Quality Index (WQI) frameworks, linked with spatial and data-driven technologies, are critical for aligning water quality management with sustainable coastal tourism and for conserving ecosystem services vital to human and economic well-being.
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BibTeX
@article{mustafaraj2026water,
title = {{Water quality indices and their impact on coastal pollution and tourist satisfaction: A systematic review}},
author = {Medriti Mustafaraj and Øivind Kåre Kjerstad and Houxiang Zhang},
journal = {Regional Studies in Marine Science},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1016/j.rsma.2026.105057},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2026.105057},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Water quality indices and their impact on coastal pollution and tourist satisfaction: A systematic review
AU - Medriti Mustafaraj
AU - Øivind Kåre Kjerstad
AU - Houxiang Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/19
JO - Regional Studies in Marine Science
DO - 10.1016/j.rsma.2026.105057
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2026.105057
AB - This study examines the application of Water Quality Indices (WQIs) as functional instruments for evaluating the health of coastal and aquatic ecosystems and for facilitating tourism-dependent coastal management. Coastal waters are important for the economy, recreation, and protecting biodiversity, but they are becoming more polluted and less appealing as tourist destinations because of urbanization, poor waste management, and climate-related stressors. A comprehensive search of Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore up to 30 November 2024, following PRISMA rules, found 3,477 records. Of them, 35 research met strict inclusion requirements and focused on the construction or use of WQIs in coastal tourism areas. The research found six key index groupings. Pollution Indices (28.3%) and general Water Quality Indices (16.7%) were used the most, which shows how important they are for monitoring the environment. Methodological trends indicate a growing dependence on statistical methods (31.6%), machine learning techniques (10.5%), and GIS-based spatial analysis for identifying spatiotemporal pollution patterns and conveying hazards to managers. A consistent finding across the studies was that degraded water quality—due to eutrophication, turbidity, or microbial contamination—adversely impacts tourist satisfaction, diminishes the recreational and aesthetic value of beaches, and may deter repeat visits, thereby establishing a connection between environmental conditions and local economic resilience. The review indicates that context-specific, tourist-sensitive Water Quality Index (WQI) frameworks, linked with spatial and data-driven technologies, are critical for aligning water quality management with sustainable coastal tourism and for conserving ecosystem services vital to human and economic well-being.
SN - 2352-4855
ER -