CARRYING CAPACITY

Sreelakshmi Roll No. 30

CARRYING CAPACITY
W T O defines The maximum number of people that may visit a tourist destination at the same time, without causing destruction of the physical, economic, socio-cultural environment and an unacceptable decrease in the quality of visitors' satisfaction.

Physical Carrying Capacity

This is the max number that area is actually able to support. In the case of an individual tourist attraction it is the maximum number that can fit on the site at any given time and still allow people to be able to move. This is normally assumed to be around 1m per person.

Economic Carrying Capacity

This relates to a level of unacceptable change within the local economy of a tourist destination, it is the extent to which a tourist destination is able to accommodate tourist functions without the loss of local activates E C C can also be used to describe the point at which the increased revenue brought by tourism development is overtaken by the inflation caused by tourism.

Socio- cultural Carrying Capacity

This relates to the negative socio-cultural impacts related to tourism development. Extent of tourism development that can be absorbed without affecting lifestyle and local community activities. Maintain historic and cultural monuments without negative effects

Biophysical Carrying Capacity

This deals with the extent to which the natural environment is able to tolerate interference from tourists. This is made more complicated by the fact that because it deals with ecology which is able to regenerate to some extent so in this case the carrying capacity is when the damage exceeds the habitats ability to regenerate. Also called Environmental carrying capacity

Infrastructure Carrying Capacity

Deals with adequate availability of Transportation facilities and services water supply, electric power, sewage and solid waste disposal and telecommunications Health and safety, housing of employees

Psychological Carrying Capacity

Crowding and congestion Reduced comfort Reduced visitor enjoyment and increased crime are also indicators of when the social carrying capacity has been exceeded.

Factors affecting Carrying Capacity

ALIEN FACTORS LOCAL FACTORS COMBINATION FACTORS

Alien Factors
Volume and characteristics of tourists Length of stay Geographical concentration of visitors Degree of seasonality

Local Factors
Fragility of local environment Social structure of host economy Economic structure Political structure Availability of local resources Policies adopted

Combination Factors
Difference between tourist and host Amount of contact Dispersed tourism reduces demonstration effect

Favouring Factors
Sustainability Closely related to carrying capacity Sustainable development- natural, cultural and other resources are conserved for future, with benefits to present society as well Important because if these resources are destroyed, destinations will have nothing left to attract, tourism will not be successful Tourists seek destinations with high level of environment quality Local community should not have to suffer negative impacts of tourism

Conclusion
Two approaches to responsible planning for sustainable development
A top-down approach (by central authority) A bottom-up approach (by community)