**Historical Development of Seaside Resorts:**
– Seaside resorts date back to antiquity, with Roman towns like Baiae in Italy catering to the wealthy.
– In the 18th century, seaside resorts opened for the aristocracy, starting with Scarborough in Yorkshire.
– Rolling bathing machines were introduced by 1735, marking a shift towards leisure by the sea.
– Heiligendamm in Germany, founded in 1793, was the first continental European seaside resort.
– The trend of seaside resorts for health and pleasure expanded with royal patronage in Brighton and the Isle of Wight.
– Railways in the 1840s made seaside leisure accessible to the middle and working classes.
– By the end of the 19th century, over 100 large resort towns lined the English coastline.
**Global Expansion of Seaside Resorts:**
– The French Riviera attracted British visitors in the late 18th century, with the railway to Nice completed in 1864.
– Seaside resorts in the United States, like Cape May and St. Augustine, catered to the wealthy in the late 1800s.
– Monte Carlo in Monaco became a luxurious gambling destination in the 1860s.
– Seaside tourism spread to areas like Australia and the British Empire, with surfing becoming popular.
– The growth of global tourism was catalyzed by affordable air travel in the 1970s.
**Architectural Styles and Features of Seaside Resorts:**
– Seaside resorts along the Baltic coastline, like Rugia and Usedom, showcase resort architecture.
– The Flemish coast in West-Vlaanderen features resorts like Knokke and Ostend.
– Chalkidiki in Greece boasts coastal villages like Afytos and Neos Marmaras as popular resorts.
– Destin, Florida, transformed from a fishing village to a tourism hub with a large fishing fleet.
– Seaside resorts in India, along its extensive coastline, have been popular tourist destinations for centuries.
**Modern Trends and Developments in Seaside Resorts:**
– Recreational fishing and leisure boat activities have become lucrative in seaside resorts.
– Traditional fishing villages, like Destin, Florida, have evolved into tourist-focused destinations.
– The Flemish coast in West-Vlaanderen offers resorts served by the coastal tramway Kusttram.
– The Baltic coastline, with its 2000km length, is known for its prestigious resorts and resort architecture.
– Heiligendamm in Mecklenburg, established in 1793, remains the oldest seaside resort in Germany and continental Europe.
**Regional Seaside Resorts:**
– **India:** Dravidian Empires built large temples near seashores, beaches associated with Hindu rituals, major beaches in Mumbai and Chennai, and Goa as a popular beach destination.
– **Ireland:** Seaside resorts in Youghal, Ardmore, Dungarvan, Cóbh, and Ballycotton, development of seaside resorts in East Ireland after rail travel introduction, Ulster seaside resorts like Portrush and Newcastle, and seaside towns in County Clare like Lahinch and Kilkee.
– **Israel:** Major tourist area with beautiful beaches, popular resorts like Ashdod, Eilat, and Tel Aviv, significant income source from tourism, tourists mainly from the United States and Europe, and seaside resorts in Herzliya and Ein Bokek.
– **Italy:** Known for seaside resorts visited by Italian and North European tourists, resorts with tourism history dating back to the 19th century, seaside resorts in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, Okinawa famous for its beaches, and Positano and Taormina as known Italian seaside resorts.
– **Jordan:** All seaside resorts located in Aqaba, Ayla Oasis and Marsa Zayed are popular resorts in Aqaba, and Aqaba is the only seaport in Jordan.
A seaside resort is a city, town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German Seebad. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.