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On the carrying capacity and the optimal number of visitors in tourism destinations

Author

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  • Simone Marsiglio

    (University of Wollongong, Australia)

Abstract

Tourism specialization on the one hand may be a successful tool to achieve fast economic growth, and, on the other hand, may be detrimental for natural resources. Finding the right balance between economic benefits and environmental costs is essential to reach sustainable development, ensuring that tourist numbers do not exceed the carrying capacity of the tourism destination. In this context, the author analyses the determination of the optimal number of visitors in a tourism-based economy and shows that if the tourist number is optimally determined long-run sustainable growth will be possible. He also shows that the optimal number of tourists is strictly smaller than the carrying capacity of the tourism destination, and that such a condition is vital to achieve long-run growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Simone Marsiglio, 2017. "On the carrying capacity and the optimal number of visitors in tourism destinations," Tourism Economics, , vol. 23(3), pages 632-646, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:toueco:v:23:y:2017:i:3:p:632-646
    DOI: 10.5367/te.2015.0535
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

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    2. Parvaneh Sobhani & Hassan Esmaeilzadeh & Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi & Marina Viorela Marcu, 2022. "Estimation of Ecotourism Carrying Capacity for Sustainable Development of Protected Areas in Iran," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Betsabé Pérez Garrido & Szabolcs Szilárd Sebrek & Viktoriia Semenova & Damla Bal & Gábor Michalkó, 2022. "Addressing the Phenomenon of Overtourism in Budapest from Multiple Angles Using Unconventional Methodologies and Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.
    4. Santos-Rojo, Cristina & Llopis-Amorós, Malar & García-García, Juan Manuel, 2023. "Overtourism and sustainability: A bibliometric study (2018–2021)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    5. José Manuel Ordóñez-de-Haro & Jordi Perdiguero & Juan-Luis Jiménez, 2020. "Fuel prices at petrol stations in touristic cities," Tourism Economics, , vol. 26(1), pages 45-69, February.
    6. Chih-Cheng Huang & Yung-Kuan Chan & Ming Yuan Hsieh, 2022. "Preliminary Research on the Sustainable Determinants of Taiwanese Ecotourism with the International Standards," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-21, November.
    7. Simone Marsiglio, 2018. "On the implications of tourism specialization and structural change in tourism destinations," Tourism Economics, , vol. 24(8), pages 945-962, December.
    8. Roberto Moris & Kay Bergamini & Horacio Gilabert & Rodrigo Culagovski & Daniela Zaviezo & José Ignacio Medina & Andrea Alarcón & Piroska Ángel, 2021. "Impact of Population Growth in the Central Coastal Zone of Chile: Factors for Estimating Tourism Carrying Capacity Based on the Case Study of One Latin American Seaside Resort," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    9. Oliver Mtapuri & Mark Anthony Camilleri & Anna Dłużewska, 2022. "Advancing community‐based tourism approaches for the sustainable development of destinations," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 423-432, June.
    10. Simone Marsiglio & Marco Tolotti, 2024. "The tourism area life cycle hypothesis: A micro-foundation," Tourism Economics, , vol. 30(2), pages 345-360, March.
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    12. Ming-Chieh Wang & Chang-Sheng Wang, 2018. "Tourism, the environment, and energy policies," Tourism Economics, , vol. 24(7), pages 821-838, November.

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