Tourism on a large scale began during the 1950s. Though tourists had been visiting the country since the beginning the of the century, it was not until the 1960s that it reached previously unknown levels and had a strong economic and social impact. Mass tourism and the influx of foreign currency made a decisive contribution to the economic recovery. The arrival of large numbers of tourists brought about a change in the way many Catalans thought and behaved. The coast, from L'Alt Empordà to the lands of the Ebre, were directly affected by it. Speculation and sprawling developments entailed considerable environmental damage and had a negative impact on the landscape.