Balancing Nature and Visitors for Sustainable Development: Assessing the Tourism Carrying Capacities of Katon-Karagay National Park, Kazakhstan

Abstract

Tourism carrying capacity remains pivotal for ensuring sustainable development within protected terrains, accentuating the balance between conservation, socio-economic benefits, and visitor satisfaction. This study delves into the intricate dimensions of this balance, focusing on the Katon-Karagay National Park (KKNP). Merging comprehensive empirical data accrued from fieldwork within the park, calculations surrounding recreational loads, and a synthesis of the relevant literature, the study designed a methodology. This included calculation techniques incorporating ecological and tourist social capacities, the psychocomfort approach, and an ongoing monitoring approach, supplemented by exclusive data from the park’s administration. Key findings underscored the significance of an adaptive balance, revealing specific permissible recreational loads for different park zones. For instance, zones of quiet recreation evidenced up to 5 people/ha, while active recreation zones fluctuated between 20 and 100 people/ha. Monitoring evidenced critical environmental changes, shaping recommendations for effective tourism flow regulation, ensuring alignment with established norms and ecological preservation. The exploration substantiates the indispensability of a meticulously structured approach to ascertain tourism carrying capacity, emphasizing the harmony achievable between environmental sanctity and human pursuits. KKNP’s empirical data serve as a paradigm, guiding sustainable tourism frameworks for similar ecologically sensitive regions.

The Impact of Sustainable Tourism on Resident and Visitor Satisfaction—The Case of the Special Nature Reserve “Titelski Breg”, Vojvodina

“…The impact of the sustainability dimensions on the SoR was examined using a simple regression analysis [55,56]. The investigated institutional indicators are the importance of legal legislation to the protection of the area, the importance of management processes, the existence of guiding and educational centers, the possibility of developing scientific forms of tourism, and others [44,45]. The ecologically tested indicators refer to the attitude of the users of the space towards the ecology and protection of the area.…”

“…The examined sociocultural indicators refer to the local population's contribution to education and the development of tourism and the promotion of local culture, as well as the interaction of residents and visitors. Economic indicators refer to benefits of the development of sustainable forms of tourism [44][45][46][47][48].…”

“…Aktymbayeva et al's [44] research considered the interrelation between SuT and environmental conservation, as this has become a major concern in contemporary research, motivated by the need to harmonize the economic benefits of tourism with ecological preservation. They demonstrated that the carrying capacity of a specific park in Kazakhstan is not a static figure but a variable that requires constant recalibration, reflecting the park's ecological health and visitor perceptions.…”

Institutional, Ecological, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Sustainability—Evidence from Ponjavica Nature Park

“…When developing tourism development strategies, special attention should be directed towards improving these identified weaknesses of tourism development [63][64][65]. Opportunities for visits of different target groups could be created by introducing schools and educational centers, where the local population could have its own special role [66,67]. Also, the construction of a visitor center would support tourism development in the NP [68,69].…”