Title: An empirical multidimensional analysis on sustainable tourism: the dynamics of carrying capacity

Authors: Jonathan A. Uy; Nemi Lorraine S. Escalante; Hanah Marie M. Tonggol; Amando A. Radomes Jr.

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of San Carlos – Technological Center, Nasipit Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of San Carlos – Technological Center, Nasipit Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of San Carlos – Technological Center, Nasipit Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of San Carlos – Technological Center, Nasipit Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines

Abstract: Carrying capacity is a framework often used to attain the goal of sustainable tourism. However, current methods to determining carrying capacity are unable to holistically integrate different components that need to be considered in the achievement of sustainable tourism. Due to the dynamic behaviour of tourist attractions, there is a necessity for carrying capacity to be viewed from a systems perspective through identifying and integrating the dynamic relationships between social, ecological, and economic factors that influence the carrying capacity of a tourism system. A simulation model was developed to analyse the dynamic factors that give rise to the sustainability of the Hinagdanan Cave, an ecotourism attraction in the province of Bohol, the Philippines. Simulation results showed that the limiting factor of the cave system is the crowd level perception factor and that the cave has a carrying capacity of 27 persons. The determination of carrying capacity through the analysis of different components in a tourism system is possible given that the model can be used as an archetype; and at the same time, it can also be tailored-fit to address the uniqueness of characteristics and attributes of any tourism system.

Keywords: carrying capacity; sustainable tourism; system dynamics; limiting factor; cave tourism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2018.092467

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2018 Vol.8 No.2, pp.89 - 107

Received: 05 Apr 2017
Accepted: 21 Nov 2017
Published online: 21 Jun 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article