As traditional land use such as agriculture and fishing, has diminished in coastal areas, tourism is considered as a lucrative industry. This paper is an introduction of the research project Planning strategies and tourism development in a coastal area. A study of the archipelago of Luleå. The project’s aim is to study the planning of the area for a sustainable tourism development. Except for a description of the PhD project, this paper will account for a questionnaire that will be conducted in the autumn of 2003. The questionnaire will be addressed to people visiting the archipelago of Luleå in the summer of 2003, during the period May-September. Since planning strategies are connected with tourists’ activities and their desire for experiences, the questionnaire’s main purpose is to investigate the tourists’ characteristics, activities, motives for visiting, valuations and their connection to the area. The future results of the questionnaire will be put in relation to the archipelago’s tourism development and planning strategies for sustainable tourism.