Systematic Literature Review on Methods of Assessing Carrying Capacity in Recreation and Tourism Destinations

Abstract

Carrying capacity is paramount to recreation and tourism management, which depends on sustainability between resource protection and experience quality. Many studies have examined carrying capacity from several perspectives, but the various methods of assessing carrying capacity have not yet been reviewed. The purpose of this study is to assess the methods of carrying capacity, their trend, and the assessment of carrying capacity made by each method. From the three scientific repositories used in this research, 100 original research papers were included in the review process. A total of 24 methods were recorded. The normative approach and Cifuentes Arias’ method were found to be the two main methods of determining carrying capacity. From the assessment of carrying capacity and the origin of each method, two fundamentals of carrying capacity emerged, and their differences and limitations are discussed. In addition, the study found that the carrying capacity employed in tourism destinations was formulated by complex variables that may require political interventions to ensure their success. Most of the research reviewed here focuses on the social aspects of carrying capacity, thus leaving room for future research. This study should benefit academics, policymakers, and resource managers by comprehensively analyzing the methods, limitations, and directions of future research in carrying capacity studies.