Factors Affecting Carrying Capacity of Destination: A question must have arrived in your mind after reading this heading that what are these factors? These factors are the variable in a society or in an environment which affects the carrying capacity and protection of a place or a destination. The factors that affect the overall capacity of a place or a destination are as follows:
Access capacity: What is an access capacity? In simple terms, it the limit of accessibility to something. Or a level or limit to access the area. Access capacity to a place can be exemplified as North East area of India, or few restricted areas, where everyone cannot access or can’t go. You need to have special permit to visit few areas, or few places in North East, J & K etc. few such areas are restricted for everyone because of naxalite activities or because of terrorist activities in J & K area. Therefore, it is factor which affects the carrying capacity of a place.
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Commercial capacity: It is the factor which affects the business over a place. The commercial activities get affected by the tourism activities over place. Demand forecasting, price of a good, inflation are few of the economic and commercial activities which get affected because of the tourism activities at a destination.
Construction capacity: The construction over a destination depends upon the number of tourist visiting a place. Based upon the number of tourist visiting and are predicted to visit the number of hotel rooms are counted and so the hotels are constructed, which in turn affects the construction capacity of a destination. The construction at a place affects the property rate of that area and the locals that affected. If the construction capacity is exceeded the environment of the area gets polluted and degraded.
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Service capacity: The services that are required or are expected by the tourists visiting a place need to be catered. The service capacity becomes a factor that affects overall capacity of a place in a way when people start migrating from one place to another for acquiring jobs in service area. As services in tourism can be handled by unskilled workers too, it becomes easier for them to occupy the job. To get a job where tourist inflow is high, residents of different destinations immigrate, which affects the service capacity of the destination where they are migrating and also affects the economy of the place from where these people come from.
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Transport capacity and others: Transport and every other variable and aspect get affected by the carrying capacity of a destination. As every destination has a limit to absorb people at a place related to raw material and other resources available, it happens with the transport facilities of a place too. Limited transport facilities cannot cater the need of the tourists getting in a destination if they are over and above the carrying capacity of the destination and vice a versa will affect the environment and pollute the area.
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Destination carrying capacity: Destination’s carrying capacity is very important to be taken care of as the carrying capacity of the destination can lead to the sustainability of the place. Physical, social and economic consideration of capacity will build better infrastructure for the place, that will lead to the promotion of the place a tourist spot that will further add to image building of the place as best tourist destination. This all will help in cultural development and sustainable approach. Environmental benefit to the place can easily be accessed and maintained.
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There are many objectives of sustainability and carrying capacity as mentioned by Food and Agricultural Organisation of United Nations, these are:
Preservation of the areas of unique scientific, historical, cultural and natural value
Preservation of history and heritage
Promotion of tourism and recreation in more responsible way
Generation of employment opportunities
And various other factors
Factors Affecting Carrying Capacity of Destination
