Manos Konsolas: “Tourism must be linked to carrying capacity, resilience and sustainability”
The issue of carrying capacity in tourist destinations was discussed at the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Island Regions, chaired by Dodecanese MP Mr. Manos Konsolas, with the participation of government officials, local government representatives and academic experts.
Mr. Konsolas stressed that climate change, depletion of natural resources, unplanned tourism growth and the lack of rational planning make it essential to link tourism to the concepts of sustainability and carrying capacity, especially in island regions.
He emphasized that carrying capacity is not an abstract concept but is based on measurable data related to the environment, infrastructure and the availability of natural resources. The excessive concentration of visitors during specific periods places pressure on infrastructure, increases energy and water demand, contributes to coastal erosion and ultimately reduces both the quality of the tourism product and visitor satisfaction.
The MP highlighted the need to establish a comprehensive system of environmental indicators for tourism in island areas and to conduct carrying capacity studies for each destination individually. He also called for the development of tailored tourism growth models for each island, grounded in sustainability and resilience principles.
