INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT; A NEW STRATEGY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CASPIAN SEA COASTAL REGION

Mazandaran province, with a beautiful nature and beach, attracts over 12million domestic and international tourists throughout the year. However, lack of an integrated management system and the presence of a large number of related organizations raise problems such as a weak statistical system, lack of accurate data regarding the tourists, inappropriate facilities and services, and most importantly the absence of sustainable development in the Caspian Sea coastal region. The present survey aims at achieving sustainable development in the coastal region of the province by identifying the nature of integrated coastal management in comparison with the current governing managerial structure as well as surveying similar experiences which have proven successful worldwide, and finally suggesting well-suited strategies and steps towards achieving integrated management in the coastal region of the province.