This presentation shares information on visitor management tools that move away from the question of "How many visitors is too many?" towards "What are the desired conditions?" (i.e. It shares links to key resources that can help managers decide which tools are best for them to use.

1. Tourism and visitor management in
protected areas:
Visitor management tools & best practices
Dr Anna Spenceley
19 May 2020

2. International guidance
https://portals.iucn.org/
library/node/47646
https://press.anu.edu.au/
publications/protected-
area-governance-and-
management
https://
openknowledge.worldbank.
org/handle/10986/29417

3. Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity (CC) = Area used by tourists
Average individual standard*
Rotation coefficient = No. daily hours area is open for tourists
Average time of visit
Total number of daily visits = CC x Rotation coefficient
* The individual standard here (in m2/person) is comprised of three capacity variables;
material, psychological and ecological.
Boullón, 1985

4. Limitations of carrying capacity
• Calculations can be manipulated by stakeholders – to make
destinations more exclusive, or absorb more visitors
• Unrealistic expectations of a ‘magic number’- Focuses on
visitor numbers rather than conditions
• Assumes there is a direct relationship between tourism use
and impact
• Does not generate technically effective/politically viable
solutions to visitor management problems
Lindberg, McCool and Stankey, 1996; McCool, 19990; Williams and Gill; 1994; Moforth
and Munt; 1998; World Bank, Leung et al, 2018

5. Numbers vs. conditions
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3074414/coronavirus-and-after-
amazing-photos-compare-asias

6. Moving away from CC and numbers
How many visitors is
too many?
(Carrying capacity)
What are the desired
conditions?
(ROS, LAC, VUMF etc)

7. Practical tools available
1. Recreation Opportunity
Spectrum (ROS)
2. Limits of Acceptable change
(LAC), and others:
Ø Visitor Experience and Resource
Protection (VERP) – USA
Ø Visitor Activity Management Process
(VAMP) – Canada
Ø Tourism Optimizations Management
Model (TOMM) – Australia
3. Indicators and standards
4. Visitor Use Management
Framework https://portals.iucn.org/library/
node/47646

8. 1. Recreation Opportunity Spectrum
Clark and Stankey (1979)

9. 2. Limits of Acceptable Change
Stankey et al (1985)

10. 3. Indicators and standards
A visitor education sign designed to address visitor-
wildlife interaction issues in US national parks
© US National Park Service https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/
book/10.18111/9789284407262

11. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uxpz8b-XvTk&feature=youtu.be

12. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
Borrie & Bigart, in prep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LK2wvfCessQ&feature=youtu.be

13. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
Borrie & Bigart, in prep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LK2wvfCessQ&feature=youtu.be

14. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
Interagency Visitor Use Management Council 2019

15. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
Borrie & Bigart, in prep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LK2wvfCessQ&feature=youtu.be

16. 4. Visitor Use Management Framework
Interagency Visitor Use Management Council 2019: https://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov/
Content/documents/IVUMC_Visitor_Capacity_Guidebook_newFINAL_highres.pdf

17. Resource tool
https://visitorusemanagement.nps.gov/Content/documents/
highres_final_Monitoring_Guidebook_Edition_One_IVUMC.pdf

18. Tourism and visitor management in
protected areas
Discussion