Evaluation of tourist carrying capacity on sandy beaches: A global review

Abstract

Overexploitation of sandy beaches by tourism, coupled with inadequate management, compromises their ecological integrity and ecosystem services. The Tourism Carrying Capacity (TCC) Assessment is a promising tool for effective coastal management and governance, offering key information for environmental planning. This study reviewed 143 articles published in english between 2000 and 2023, revealing a steady increase in publications, particularly from 2012 onward. European beaches (45 %) were most studied, followed by Asian (34 %) and American (19 %) beaches. About 80 % of the articles aligned with at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), yet only 36 % proposed solutions for TCC overload, which was identified on 54 % of beaches using a 10 m² per visitor threshold. Proposed solutions included enforcement, ecosystem monitoring, and partnerships with private companies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and universities, all critical for addressing current and future coastal squeeze. Under a scenario where visitor numbers remain constant, the TCC Overload Index could increase by 129 %. The study highlights the need for standardized measurement criteria for TCC and further debate over restricting visitor numbers. This global dataset provides strategies for mitigating tourism overexploitation and offers guidelines for coastal managers and scientists to implement practical actions in coastal ecosystems.