Determining the carrying capacity of coastal tourism of Kish island

In tourism industry, the usage changes in the coastal regions and the adverse impacts of tourism development on the environment is considered as one of the major and concerning issues. Determining the value of maximum carrying capacity for planning in order to reduce environmental damages and protect ecosystems of the coastal band of Kish island and also enhancing its entertainment quality, which has a favorable position due to its coral reefs and white beaches, seems necessary. The present article, based on the assessment of physical-ecological carrying capacity in the context of the protected districts and also assessment of socio-cultural carrying capacity by the use of video recording ICT, through presenting the desirable limit of tourist acceptance in coastal area of Kish Island, tries while minimizing the coastal biologic damages, preserves the capability of this area for supporting the recreational quality of the Island's coastal restores. Since the rules governing the coasts of Iran are different politically and ideologically from the shores of many countries, in this article, the coastal tourist carrying capacity has been organized based on two scenarios. In scenario 1, the carrying capacity has been estimated with respect to common universal standards and in the second scenario with respect to the political criteria and special ideology of Iran’s community. The results show that although a certain number of tourists can be accommodated physically in the coastal area, but with respect to natural and human limiting factors and the present legal and ideological guidelines, there exists more pressure and density in parts of the island coast and In both scenarios, which is more than the carrying capacity of the environment and the tourists.