Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 2(2Global): 187-196, J. Environ. Spring Sci. 2016Manage., 2(2): 187-196, Spring 2016 DOI: 10.7508/gjesm.2016.02.009 ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Evaluating total carrying capacity of tourism using impact indicators R. Sharma Department of Energy and Environment, Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Symbiosis International University, Hinjawadi-I, Pune, Maharashtra, India Received 22 November 2015; revised 14 January 2016; accepted 23 January 2016; available online 1 March 2016 ABSTRACT: The carrying capacity is well identified tool to manage problems due to uncontrolled tourism for any destination. This report highlights the carrying capacity estimation of Kerwa tourism area, Bhopal, India. The methodology used in this report is a new two-tier mechanism of impact analysis using index numbers derived from a survey of 123 stakeholders. From this the individual component impact analysis and the total carrying capacity of the area is computed in order to state the insight of the total carrying capacity left for the tourism activities in Kerwa tourism area. It is calculated from, the results so obtained, that the Kerwa catchment area falls in “very low impact category” and hence in a healthy state of the artwork in terms of total carrying capacity. The study conveys the current need in the destination management and tourism development as a road map for the destination managers for implementing sustainable tourism. KEYWORDS: Carrying capacity; Impact assessment; Indicators; Tourism impacts; Tourism management INTRODUCTION Tourism has become a major source of foreign the production of the tourist products: the natural and/ exchange for India, and the historic homes and rich or man-made setting for the tourist to enjoy, live in, biodiversity in the central India are the major tourist and relax, and on the other hand, tourism produces a centers of attractions among the visitors’ visiting to variety of unwanted by- products, which are disposed, research these fields. Undisturbed ecosystems, their intentionally and unintentionally, to and modify the works and animal communities are vital in holding the environment; the case of negative environmental clean air, clear water and healthy environments that externalities (Briassoulis, 1992). The rapid but are key tourist attractions in many destinations unplanned exploitation and utilization of these (Buckley, 1999). Located at the top of the environmental resources create a risk of losing their recovery and industrial chain, tourism is extremely sensitive to capacities, destroying the basic functionalities within environmental conditions and to the impacts others tourism areas (Nghi et al., 2007). The concept of have on the system. In fact, the state of tourism itself ‘carrying capacity’ as a guide to the management of may be a key indicator of system stability. Tourism, a tourism is of much interest. While it is useful to multifaceted economic activity, interacts with the recognize limits to the carrying capacity of natural areas environment in the framework of a two-way process. used for tourism, the concept is not a straightforward On one hand, environmental resources provide one of managerial tool. Dissimilar carrying capacities may the basic ‘ingredients’, a critical production factor, for apply to different characteristics of a tourism site and *Corresponding Author Email: [email protected] carrying capacities may not be discrete or defined Tel.: +9120 2293 4314; Fax: +9120 2293 4316 (Tisdell, 1998). Despite these disqualifications, it is Note. Discussion period for this manuscript open until June 1, important to take into account the interactions between 2016 on GJESM website at the “Show Article”. tourism and other variables at a site, such as the quality 187 R. Sharma Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 2(2): 187-196, Spring 2016 of its environment. Some sites may be ecologically so only environmental questions but also economic and social fragile or so sensitive to human intrusion, that tourism issues (Davies and Tisdell, 1995; Coccossis and Mexa, should not be allowed or should be severely restricted, 2004).Granting to the various definitions, the tourism especially if the site is required for scientific research that carrying capacity consists of three components: is incompatible with tourism. The concept of carrying ecological carrying capacity, social carrying capacity and capacity is very old in wildlife management, and was used economic carrying capacity (Nghi et al, 2007). The for the first time by Dasmann in 1945 (Wall, 1983) for technique of carrying capacity is very pertinent and has assessing the capacity of the forests for grazing by special reference to for the protected areas for studying animals. In the early 1960s, the concept was applied the interactions of the biotic pressure, ecotourism and recreationally for the purpose of determining the ecological ecosystem to maintain the natural sense of balance, and disturbance from the use (Lucas, 1964; Wagar, 1964). the wise and scientific purpose of bearing capacity can Carrying capacity, as stated in the literatures can be serve to be an efficient instrument for the management of vaguely defined as the sum-total of the productive and PAs and sustainable ecotourism (Bhattacharya and assimilative capacities of that particular ecosystem, in Banerjee, 2003). Thus, the main objective of this study is to relation to its use. The natural environment has the utilize the concept of carrying capacity as an assessment capability of producing a given output flow of products tool for the activities and impacts of tourism in a Kerwa and assimilating a given input flow of wastes. This balance destination area, Bhopal, India. It also focuses on defines the stress limits within which the system can developing an impact based indicator methodology to compensate and still return to its original condition. The evaluate the total carrying capacity (TCC) for a tourism uncontrolled growth of tourists and tourism activities in destination. The stakeholder survey was conducted in a the areas of natural beauty and historical significance is planned manner as to cover all the visitors’ season in Kerwa exhausting the very resources that transform an area into tourism area, Bhopal, India during the year 2006-2007. a tourist destination (Bhattacharya and Banerjee, 2003).Tourism carrying capacity has been widely used MATERIALS AND METHODS for guiding conservation and ecotourism related The methodology employed in the study is an decisions, allowing recreational activities to be undertaken integrated method for calculating the TCC is taken from within natural areas in an orderly and systematic way that the work of Bhattacharya and Sankar (2003). The can generate least impact (Carr, 2000; Fraschetti et al., methodology of Bhattacharya and Sankar used is further 2002; Gossling, 2002; Coccossis and Mexa, 2004). adapted from Battelle environmental evaluation system Carrying capacity is frequently quoted as a framework (BEES) used in environmental impact assessment (EIA) in which the aim of determining the scope of tourism in a studies and limits of acceptable change (LAC) framework destination can be achieved (Hunter and Green, 1995; for the study of tourism research. The method employed Inskeep, 1991; O’Reilly, 1986; WTO, 1993). Luc,(1998) in this study to quantify and evaluate tourism carrying defined the tourism carrying capacity as “The maximum capacity is a two- tier system, where the impacts are at number of people that use tourism site without first calculated for the individual indicators of components unacceptable effect on environmental resources while and then for the components itself, with an assumption meeting the demand of tourists”. The carrying capacity that a tourist destination has a holding capacity of 100% of a destination is determined (i) by its ability to absorb before the action was started. The adverse impact of tourist development before negative impacts are felt by tourism activities reduces its carrying capacity and the host community, and (ii) by the level of tourist beyond management initiatives can augment it (Sankar, 2003). The which tourist flows will decline because the destination impacts of tourism on the indexes are at first evaluated by area ceases to satisfy and attract those (Saveriades, 2000). indicator quality unit (IQU) and multiplied by the There are available various studies which proposes the proportional importance of each index in forecasting the establishment of carrying capacity approaches to mitigate impact by parametric importance unit (PIU). The indicators the impacts due to specific tourism activities (Davies and of tourism carrying capacity relevant for this purpose Tisdell, 1995; Rios-Jara et al, 2013). The tourism carrying were identified through different tourism, environment capacity recently has garnered attention and evidences, and tourism management journals. Literature and indicating that the tourism carrying capacity concept studies conducted in the country linked to tourism and could be a part of a very effective strategy to address not impact assessments were also conducted into account 188 Global J. Environ. Sci. Manage., 2(2): 187-196, Spring 2016 to draw indicators relevant to the goal country. These Table 1: The standard for impact category of carrying capacity indicators also present an estimation of threshold of Percentage (%) Category of impact on carrying capacity visitors’ that can be taken at the destination while 0 - 20 Very high