Until now, historical studies have only partially explored the process of the anthropization of coasts. An analysis of those sets of social practices and economic activities that transformed empty beaches into a place of human consumption from the 19th century onwards is still lacking. This article tries to contribute to this debate by focusing on of the main icons of Italian mass tourism, Riccione. Through the study of various archives, including the archive of the Riccione destination management agency (Azienda di cura, soggiorno e cura), and an oral history fieldwork involving video recordings of 35 interviews with lifeguards of different age groups, this article seeks to codify the economic activities and the organizational models progressively set up along the Adriatic coast. By doing so, it offers an original interpretation of the process of standardization and "mass production" through which tourist service providers tried to adapt and exploit the opportunities made available by mass tourism.
Keywords: Beach, mass tourism, taylorism, beach managers, fascist period