Resumen de Importance of carrying capacity in sustainable tourismplanning: The case of Azerbaijan
Turan Suleymanov, Beatriz Rodríguez Díaz, Kamil Taşci
This chapter explores the critical role of carrying capacity in the sustainable development of tourism,with a particular focus on Azerbaijan. As tourism increasingly contributes to economic growth, itsimultaneously exerts significant environmental, social, and cultural pressures on host destinations.Drawing upon theoretical frameworks such as the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model and theLimits of Acceptable Change (LAC) approach, the chapter examines how unchecked tourism growthcan lead to ecological degradation and socio-cultural disruption. Through a comprehensive analysisof Azerbaijan’s tourism sector, the chapter highlights the need for well-defined policies and regulatoryframeworks to manage tourism’s impact, particularly at the local level. The absence of robust datacollection and monitoring systems further complicates efforts to establish sustainable tourismstrategies. Recommendations include the development of localized tourism management plans, theintroduction of environmental safeguards, and the promotion of stakeholder engagement to balancethe economic benefits of tourism with long-term sustainability goals. This chapter contributes to thebroader discourse on sustainable tourism by emphasizing the importance of carrying capacity inensuring that tourism development supports, rather than undermines, the socio-economic andenvironmental well-being of host regions.
