Topic 2.5: Factors Affecting Tourism Development and Management » Carrying Capacity and Overtourism

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

What carrying capacity means in tourism and why it matters
The different types of carrying capacity and how they are measured
What overtourism is and what causes it
The negative impacts of overtourism on destinations
How destinations manage carrying capacity and overtourism
Real-world case studies including Venice, Santorini and the Galápagos Islands

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📍 What Is Carrying Capacity?

Imagine a beach. It's beautiful, warm and perfect for a holiday. Now imagine 10,000 people turning up on that same beach on the same day. Suddenly it's not so beautiful. The sand is covered, the water is dirty, the car park is full and the local fish and chip shop has a two-hour queue. This is what happens when a destination exceeds its carrying capacity.

Key Definitions:

Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of tourists a destination can handle without causing unacceptable damage to the environment, local community, or visitor experience.
Overtourism: When too many tourists visit a place, causing negative impacts on the environment, local residents and the quality of the tourist experience itself.
Tourist Saturation: The point at which a destination has reached or exceeded its carrying capacity.
Visitor Management: Strategies used to control the number and behaviour of tourists at a destination.

💡 Why Does Carrying Capacity Matter?

Tourism is one of the world's biggest industries. In 2019, there were 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals globally. When too many people visit the same places, it can destroy the very things that made those places worth visiting in the first place. Carrying capacity is about finding the right balance enough tourists to support the local economy, but not so many that the destination is damaged.

📈 Types of Carrying Capacity

Carrying capacity isn't just one simple number. It has several different dimensions, each measuring a different kind of pressure that tourism places on a destination.

🌿 Physical Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of people that can physically fit in a space at any one time. For example, a beach, a car park, or a museum gallery. This is the most straightforward type to measure.

🌎 Environmental Carrying Capacity

The level of tourist activity beyond which the natural environment begins to suffer permanent damage such as coral reef bleaching, soil erosion on footpaths, or wildlife disturbance.

👥 Social/Cultural Carrying Capacity

The point at which local residents feel their way of life, culture, or community is being negatively affected by tourists. This is harder to measure but very important.

💶 Economic Carrying Capacity

The level of tourism beyond which the economic benefits to locals begin to be outweighed by the costs such as rising house prices, loss of local businesses and over-reliance on tourism income.

📷 Perceptual Carrying Capacity

The point at which tourists themselves feel the destination is too crowded and their experience is ruined. This varies some tourists prefer quiet, others don't mind crowds.

⚠️ What Is Overtourism?

Overtourism happens when a destination becomes so popular that it causes serious problems. It's not just about numbers it's about the impact of those numbers. A small village can be overwhelmed by 500 visitors. A large city might handle millions with few problems. Context matters.

💥 Causes of Overtourism

Several factors have combined in recent decades to create the overtourism crisis seen in many destinations:

✈️ Budget Airlines

Low-cost carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet made air travel affordable for millions more people, dramatically increasing visitor numbers to European destinations.

📷 Social Media

Instagram and TikTok have made certain locations go viral overnight. Places like the Faroe Islands or Iceland saw visitor numbers explode after becoming popular online.

🏠 Airbnb and Short-Term Lets

Platforms like Airbnb have converted residential housing into tourist accommodation, reducing housing for locals and changing the character of neighbourhoods.

🔍 Case Study: Venice, Italy 🏭

Location: North-east Italy a historic city built on 118 small islands connected by canals.

The Problem: Venice receives around 30 million visitors per year but has a resident population of only about 50,000 people and falling. In the 1950s, around 175,000 people lived there. Locals are leaving because of high rents, tourist crowds and the loss of everyday shops replaced by souvenir stalls.

Impacts:

Cruise ships cause wave damage to historic buildings and pollute the lagoon
Narrow streets become dangerously overcrowded, especially in summer
Local shops and schools have closed as the resident population shrinks
House prices have soared, pushing out ordinary Venetians
The city's fragile ecosystem and UNESCO World Heritage status are under threat

Management Responses: In 2024, Venice introduced a day-tripper entry fee of €5 on busy days. Cruise ships over a certain size have been banned from the main lagoon. Visitor numbers are monitored using sensors and cameras.

🚫 Negative Impacts of Overtourism

When carrying capacity is exceeded, the consequences can be serious and long-lasting. These impacts fall into three main categories:

🌿 Environmental Impacts

Footpath erosion in national parks and mountain areas from too many walkers
Coral reef damage from snorkellers, boat anchors and sunscreen chemicals
Increased litter, pollution and waste in fragile ecosystems
Wildlife disturbance animals change behaviour or abandon habitats
Water shortages in dry destinations where hotels use huge amounts of water

👥 Social and Cultural Impacts

Local residents feel like strangers in their own communities
Traditional festivals and customs become commercialised performances for tourists
Rising costs of living push local people out of popular areas
Anti-tourism sentiment and protests seen in Barcelona, Amsterdam and the Canary Islands
Loss of local identity as destinations become generic "tourist traps"

🔍 Case Study: Santorini, Greece 🌊

Location: A small volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, famous for its white buildings and blue-domed churches.

The Problem: Santorini has a permanent population of around 15,000 people but receives over 2 million visitors per year, including huge numbers arriving by cruise ship. On peak days, up to 18,000 cruise passengers arrive at once.

Impacts:

The famous village of Oia becomes dangerously overcrowded at sunset a popular photography spot
Water is scarce on the island; tourism massively increases demand
Donkeys used to carry tourists up steep steps have suffered welfare problems due to overuse
Local residents report feeling overwhelmed and unable to enjoy their own island

Management Responses: The Greek government has introduced a cap of 8,000 cruise passengers per day. Local authorities have restricted the number of donkey rides permitted and introduced weight limits for riders.

⚖️ Managing Carrying Capacity

Destinations use a wide range of strategies to manage visitor numbers and reduce the impacts of overtourism. These can be grouped into hard management (physical controls) and soft management (education and persuasion).

🔒 Hard Management Strategies

Entry fees and permits: Charging visitors to enter sensitive areas limits numbers and raises funds for conservation
Visitor quotas: Setting a maximum daily number of visitors allowed
Zoning: Dividing areas into zones some open to tourists, others protected
Timed entry tickets: Spreading visitors throughout the day to reduce peak crowding
Banning certain vehicles: Restricting cruise ships, cars, or coaches in sensitive areas

📚 Soft Management Strategies

Tourist education: Informing visitors about responsible behaviour through signs, guides and apps
Spreading tourism geographically: Promoting lesser-known areas to reduce pressure on hotspots
Seasonal promotion: Encouraging visits in off-peak seasons to spread the load throughout the year
Community involvement: Giving local people a say in tourism planning and management
Eco-certification: Rewarding businesses that operate sustainably

🔍 Case Study: The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador 🌎

Location: A remote archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador. Famous for unique wildlife including giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies.

Why It Matters: The Galápagos inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's most ecologically sensitive destinations.

Management Strategies:

Strict visitor quotas: Only a limited number of tourists are allowed to visit each year
Guided tours only: All visitors must be accompanied by a licensed naturalist guide
Zoning system: Only 3% of the islands are open to tourists; 97% is protected national park
Entry fees: A significant park entrance fee (around $200 for foreign visitors) funds conservation
Strict biosecurity: Visitors' bags are checked to prevent the introduction of invasive species

Outcome: The Galápagos is often cited as a model for sustainable tourism management. Visitor numbers have grown but are carefully controlled and conservation funding has increased significantly.

📈 The Butler Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC)

The Butler Model (1980) is a useful framework for understanding how tourism destinations develop over time and how overtourism can lead to decline if not managed properly.

🕑 The Six Stages

🌏 1. Exploration

Small numbers of adventurous tourists discover the destination. Few facilities exist. The environment and culture are largely undisturbed.

📈 2. Involvement

Local people begin to provide services for tourists. Numbers grow slowly. The destination starts to develop a tourist identity.

🏢 3. Development

Rapid growth in visitor numbers. Large companies invest. The destination becomes well-known. Infrastructure is built quickly.

⚠️ 4. Consolidation

Growth slows. The destination is established but beginning to show signs of wear. Carrying capacity may be approaching its limit.

🚫 5. Stagnation

Visitor numbers plateau. The destination has a poor reputation. Environmental and social problems are evident. Overtourism may have occurred.

🔄 6. Decline or Rejuvenation

Without intervention, the destination declines. With good management (new attractions, sustainability measures), it can be rejuvenated and the cycle begins again.

🔍 Case Study: Blackpool, UK 🌊

Location: A seaside resort on the Lancashire coast, north-west England.

The Story: Blackpool was once Britain's most popular holiday resort, attracting millions of working-class visitors during the 20th century. It is a classic example of a destination that reached stagnation in the Butler Model. As cheap package holidays to Spain became available from the 1970s onwards, visitor numbers fell sharply. The resort became associated with poor-quality accommodation, litter and social problems.

Rejuvenation Attempts: Blackpool has invested in new attractions (Pleasure Beach, the Illuminations, conference tourism) and regeneration of the promenade. However, full rejuvenation has proved difficult, showing that recovery from decline is not guaranteed.

🌟 Stakeholders and Carrying Capacity

Managing carrying capacity involves many different groups, all with different interests and priorities. Understanding these different viewpoints is important for exam answers.

🏛 Governments and Local Authorities

Want to balance economic benefits of tourism with protecting the environment and quality of life for residents. May introduce laws, fees and visitor limits.

💼 Tourism Businesses

Generally want more visitors as this means more profit. May resist restrictions. However, some businesses recognise that overtourism damages their long-term interests.

👥 Local Communities

Often most directly affected by overtourism. May support restrictions on visitor numbers, especially if they feel tourism is damaging their community or pricing them out of housing.

📚 Summary: Carrying Capacity and Overtourism

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of tourists a destination can handle without unacceptable damage
There are five types: physical, environmental, social/cultural, economic and perceptual
Overtourism occurs when visitor numbers exceed carrying capacity, causing environmental, social and economic harm
Causes include budget airlines, social media and platforms like Airbnb
Management strategies include entry fees, visitor quotas, zoning, timed tickets and tourist education
The Butler Model shows how destinations can move from growth to stagnation and either decline or rejuvenate
Case studies: Venice (entry fees, cruise ship bans), Santorini (cruise caps), Galápagos (strict quotas and zoning), Blackpool (stagnation and rejuvenation)

🌟 Exam Tips

Know your definitions: Be precise about what carrying capacity and overtourism mean examiners reward accurate terminology
Use named examples: Always back up points with specific case studies. Generic answers score fewer marks
Think about different stakeholders: A good exam answer considers multiple perspectives tourists, locals, businesses and governments
Distinguish between types of carrying capacity: If asked about impacts, link them to the correct type (e.g. environmental damage = environmental carrying capacity exceeded)
Butler Model questions: Be able to identify which stage a destination is at and justify your answer with evidence
Evaluation questions: Consider whether management strategies are actually effective the Galápagos works well; Blackpool's rejuvenation is incomplete

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