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Aresort island (FrenchÎle-hôtel; "hotel island") is a hotel complex located on an island; in many cases one luxury hotel may own the entire island. More broadly, resort island can be defined as anyisland or anarchipelago that containsresorts,hotels, overwater bungalows,restaurants,tourist attractions and itsamenities, and might offer all-inclusive accommodations.[1] It primary focus ontourism services and offerleisure, adventure, and amusement opportunities.[citation needed]
Resort island is often confused or identified withisland resort, which is a resort located on an island. Island resort is almost the same withseaside resort or beach resort,[citation needed] which offersbeaches and water sport activities, such assunbathing,swimming,snorkeling,scuba diving andsurfing, the only difference is that seaside resorts might located on thecontinent's seaside, while island resorts must be located on an island or archipelago.Maldives has the most island resorts in the world.
Resort islands mostly rely on theirnatural environment to attract visitors, such as beaches,biodiversity ofcoral reefs and forest, or secluded and private locations.[citation needed] Others might rely on their man-made built attractions, such asspas,amusement parks,casinos ornightlife.[citation needed]
On the one hand, the development of a small island into a resort often entails seriousenvironmental degradation (reef digging, sewage, sand pumping...);[2] on the other, a resort island complex can provide shelter for heavily poached species, as resorts own security services that nomarine protected area can afford.[3]
