Carrying capacity as a criterion for planning parking on beaches in protected areas (Fuerteventura, Spain): a tool for visitor control in island regions with strong urban-touristic development

Abstract

Coastal areas, particularly in island regions, experience high population densities and increasing recreational pressure associated with tourism, creating challenges in reconciling public use with the conservation of fragile ecosystems. The main objective of this study is to determine the effective carrying capacity (ECC) of beaches in northern Fuerteventura as a tool to support coastal planning and management. Specifically, the study aims to organize visitor flows through the design of parking strategies that reduce environmental pressure without restricting access to these protected coastal environments. The research focuses on 24 highly frequented natural beaches located in a protected area on the northern coast of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain), an island characterized by intensive sun-and-beach tourism and high visitor density. The methodology adapts the carrying capacity model proposed by Cifuentes, integrating physical (PCC), real (RCC), and effective carrying capacities (ECC) and incorporating geomorphological characteristics, beach typology, substrate type, climatic factors, ecological constraints, particularly avifauna sensitivity, and management variables related to infrastructure, services, and safety. A key methodological contribution is the differentiation of beach occupancy criteria based on substrate type (sand versus rocky or pebbly beaches), allowing for more realistic estimates of useable space on geomorphologically constrained natural beaches. In a second phase, carrying capacity values are used to estimate the appropriate number and spatial distribution of parking spaces compatible with conservation objectives. The results show marked reductions from PCC to RCC and ECC, especially on small, wind-exposed or ecologically sensitive beaches, highlighting the decisive role of management conditions. Overall, the findings demonstrate that parking regulation based on beach carrying capacity is an effective and transferable tool for sustainable tourism management in protected island coastal areas. This approach enables visitor control through spatial redistribution rather than access restriction, reducing environmental pressure on the most sensitive areas.