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 Chapter 4

Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South

Andaman Island, India

R. Sridhar, E. Yuvaraj, V. Sachithanandam,

T. Mageswaran, R. Purvaja and R. Ramesh

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

Abstract

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) is one of the largest tourist areas in India attracting
both the international and domestic tourists each year. The Island Administration has a
vision to develop the islands as an upmarket island destination for ecotourism. Among
the island group, the South Andaman region is the most visited tourist destination and
beaches of these islands have great potential for tourism attractions. The present work is
an attempt to understand the potential of these beaches by assessing the carrying capacity
in terms of number of visitors that can be allowed over a period of time, which will further
help with better tourism management. The methodology used to estimate the tourism
carrying capacity (TCC) is based on the physical and ecological conditions of each site
and the existing infrastructure. The total effective carrying capacity (ECC) estimated for
the beaches of Port Blair area (126,301 visitors/day) reveals that the current tourism activity
is in lower level compared to its carrying capacity. Such carrying capacity assessments
can be used as an input into the regular planning process. Preliminary estimates suggest
that A&N Islands can be promoted for high value-low volume, eco-friendly, and
environmentally sustainable tourism.

Keywords: Andaman, beaches, carrying capacity, tourism, islands

1. Introduction

Tourism is one of the driving forces of global economic growth and has become increasingly
competitive in the global arena. Tourism accounts for almost 10% of global GDP, generates more
than US$ 1.5 trillion in trade income or 30% of the worlds services exports, and provides one

2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
62 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

in eleven jobs worldwide [1]. As per the Indias Tourism Statistics Report (2014), Indias foreign
exchange earnings from tourism is US$ 20.24 billion at annual growth rate of 4.0%. Indias
position in the World Tourism Receipts is at 15th place, and in the Asia and Pacific Region, India
retains seventh place. During 2014, the number of Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) to the States/
Union Territories (UTs) was 22.57 million as compared to 19.95 million in 2013 and 18.26 million
in 2012 and registered a growth of 13.12% over 2013 as compared to a growth of 9.24% in 2013
over 2012 (MoT, 2014). The top 10 source countries for Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India in 2014
include United States (14.57%), Bangladesh (12.27%), United Kingdom (10.92%), Sri Lanka
(3.20%), Russian Federation (3.51%), Canada (3.50%), Malaysia (3.41%), France (3.20%), Australia
(3.12%), and Germany (3.11%) and other countries (38.44%).

Similar to the Foreign Tourist Arrival, domestic tourism also plays an important role in overall
tourism development in the country. The number of domestic tourist visits increased from 462
million in 2006 to 740 million in 2010. In 2009, when the country witnessed a negative growth
of 2.2% in foreign tourists arrivals, domestic tourist visits registered a growth of 18.8%. This
growth of domestic tourist visit sustained tourism infrastructure during the lean period of
tourism sector [2]. There has been a continuous increase in Indias domestic tourist visit to its
all states/UTs from 1991 to 2012, with the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) being
13.96%.

India is one of the few countries that offer a wide range of destinations for potential tourists.
Tourism has grown in leaps and bounds over the years with each region of India contributing
to its splendour and exuberance. In India, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is the nodal agency
for the development and promotion of tourism in the country and also responsible for
international cooperation in tourism (Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961
as amended up to 12th Feb 2016). The MoT formulates national policies and programs and
coordinates activities of various government and private agencies for the development and
promotion of tourism in the country. The National Tourism Policy, formulated in the year
2002, aims for tourism development in India in a systematic manner, positioning it as a major
engine of economic growth and to harness its direct and multiplier effects for employment and
poverty eradication in an environmentally sustainable manner.

National Council of Applied Economic Research (2014) [3], using the data from International
Passenger Survey 20102011, observed that monuments, forts, palaces, museums, hill stations,
and beaches are some of the motivational factors that are influencing the decision of potential
tourists visiting India. The ANI is one of the largest tourist areas in India that provide for a
unique combination of terrestrial, mangrove, coastal, and marine ecosystems. The bays, coral
reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows, beaches, and caves make these islands special and attract
both international and domestic tourists each year. The Island Administration has the vision
to develop the islands as an upmarket island destination for ecotourism through environmen
tally sustainable development of infrastructure without disturbing the natural ecosystem with
the objective of creating more employment opportunities and synergize socio-economic
development of the islands [4]. Tourist visit including foreign visitors to ANI is on the
increasing trend. The year 2000 witnessed a total number of 86,066 visitors to ANI which has
grown up to 146,990 in the year 2007 and 218,035 in the year 2011 and 256,237 in the year 2012
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 63
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

[5]. The tourist arrival to ANI for the year 20132014 is 258,418 (with 17,811 foreign tourists).
With the continuous increase in tourist flow to Andaman Islands and subsequent population
pressure, there is a need to understand the tourism carrying capacity (TCC) for various tourist
destinations in the island in addition to the importance given toward environmental protec
tion, while planning for tourism development particularly in areas such as wildlife sanctuaries,
beaches, and other fragile ecosystems.

2. Tourism carrying capacity: A review of concept

The concept of TCC, though emerged in the 1970s and 1980, has received significant attention
in recent years as part of an effective strategy to address environmental, economic, and social
issues [68].

There have been many attempts to define carrying capacity. It was stated that TCC is a specific
type of environmental carrying capacity and refers to the biophysical and social capacity of
the environment with respect to touristic activity and its development [910]. Middleton and
Hawkins (1998) [11] defined carrying capacity as a measure of the tolerance a site or building
are open to tourists activity and limit beyond which an area may suffer from the adverse
impacts of tourism. TCC can also be defined as the maximum number of people that use
tourism site without unacceptable effect on environmental resources while meeting the
demand [12].

Chamberlin (1997) [13] defines it as the level of human activity an area can accommodate
without the area deteriorating, the resident community being adversely affected or the quality
of visitors experience declining. Clark [14] defines carrying capacity as a certain threshold
level of tourism activity beyond which there will occur damage to the environment, including
natural habitats. He also states that the actual carrying capacity limit in terms of numbers
of visitors or any other quota or parameter is usually a judgement call based upon the level of
change that can be accepted, regarding sustainability of resources, satisfaction of resource
users, and socio-economic impact [14]. The TCC represents the maximum level of visitor
use that an area can maintain, that is, the limit of human activity: if this level is exceeded, the
resource will deteriorate [15].

The UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO) defines TCC as the maximum number of people
that may visit a tourist destination at the same time, without causing destruction of the
physical, economic, socio-cultural environment and an unacceptable decrease in the quality
of visitors satisfaction. Tourism operations in protected areas need to be planned carefully
and monitor regularly to ensure their long-term sustainability. Otherwise, such operations will
have negative consequences and tourism will contribute to the further deterioration of these
areas. Many of the protected areas have promoted tourism for their social, economic, and
livelihood opportunities of the local residents [1519].

Individual tourist destinations were studied assessing the TCC all over the world [2024]. It
has been suggested that development of a tourist destination should be based on their innate
64 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

capacities for tourism. TCC was considered as an appropriate tool for management and
remains one of the most useful and applied techniques for tourism and recreation planning,
if combined with other management tools [25, 26].

Coccossis and Mexa [6] showed that carrying capacity assessment remains a powerful concept
that can be used for planning and management of sustainable tourism. Many studies calculated
carrying capacity using physical, ecological, psychological, and economical approach. Because
of expanding degree of environmental threat with growing tourism, a suitable method needs
to be carried out and carrying capacity stays one of the applied and effective methods [27].
Hamed and Fataei [28] estimates the TCC to Fandoqloo forest in Iran using physical, real, and
effective carrying capacities. Results of their study showed that each tourist spot has its specific
priorities and the carrying capacity of each region differs according to the environmental
conditions. Nghi et al. [23] assessed the environmental carrying capacities for Phong Nha-Ke
Bang and Dong Hoi using three basic components: ecological, economic, and social. The
authors have calculated the TCC in Dong Hoi and Phong Nha centers by using the adjustment
from physical carrying capacity (PCC) to real carrying capacity (RCC) based on various
limiting factors such as infrastructure and management capacities. Their results show that
Dong Hoi center has the highest TCC and Phong Nha has a lower TCC than other centers in
Quang Binh.

Lagmoj et al. [29] in their study evaluated TCC in three ways viz., PCC, RCC, and ECC, and
found that ECC is in low range due to lack of required facilities and infrastructures as well
as manpower for management and providing tourism services for tourists. They estimated
the PCC in Khorma forest as 3712 persons/day while RCC, considering limiting factors
including the number of very hot days and the number of wet days, is 2001 persons/day. The
ECC, taking the management capabilities including the number of manpower and the budget,
69 persons/day was calculated for Khorma forest. Armin and Calichi [30] in their study of
PCC, the factors viz., tourist flows, the size of the area, the optimum space available for each
tourist and the visiting time, were considered. Their results showed that the total visitors to
the park in 2012 were 220 visitors per day that actual average park visitation are higher than
the estimated carrying capacity and stated that the expanding recreational use would affect
production and other forest benefits in the long term and suggested that a recreational forest
use plan must be adjusted by the planner to keep the park more exploiting.

3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI)

The ANI form an important group of oceanic islands, situated in the Bay of Bengal, extending
between 92 to 94 East and 6 to 14 North latitude, with rich biodiversity and high degree of
endemism. It is presumed that these islands had a former land connection from Cape Negris
at south part of Burma to Achin Head (Cape Pedro) in Andalas (Sumatra). Since pre-historic
times, these islands were the home of aboriginal tribes. The vulnerable tribal groups who have
been identified in the Andaman group of islands are the Great Andamanese, Onges, Jarawas,
and Sentinalese, all of Negrito origin, while the tribes in the Nicobar group are the Nicobarese
and Shompens, both of Mongloid origin. These islands have the total geographical area of 8249
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 65
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

km2 and total coastline of 1962 km. These islands have been designated as one of the Endemic
Bird Areas of the world [3135].

The Chinese knew of these islands over a thousand years ago and called it the Yeng-t-omag
in the First Millenium [36]. These islands also find a place in the first map of the world drawn
by Ptolemy, the renowned Roman geographer during the second century [36]. The famous
Forester Champion has passionately remarked, If tropical rain forests are to be seen in their
pristine glory anywhere in the world, it is in the Andamans. The forests are quite rich with
tropical evergreen, semi-ever green, moist-deciduous and littoral forests, mangroves, bamboo,
and cane brakes. Mr. Jacques Coustoue, the famous marine explorer, who made a film on these
islands titled The Invisible Islands, said that he had never come across such clear waters
during his many voyages across the globe, as in Andaman he could see live corals even at a
depth of 60100 m off the Narcondam Islands.

To preserve the rich natural, cultural, and wilderness areas of the ANI, the UT Administration
is bringing ecotourism policy guidelines. A tourism management plan was prepared for
various islands of the UT of A&N by the MoT, GoI, in 2003, indicating the potential tourism
sites and recommending various options for the development of the tourism sector keeping
in view of environmental protection. In a study conducted by Sridhar et al [37], it was observed
that tourism sites in Andaman region exhibit a cluster distribution pattern. They suggested
that tourism activities need to be promoted and expanded in other potential areas of Andaman
through the establishment of necessary infrastructure. However, there have been little or no
study on assessing the TCC of these islands. The main objective of this paper is to assess the
recreational carrying capacity of some popular beaches around South Andaman by means of
assessing the PCC (assuming that every beach has a limiting size of people that it can accom
modate), RCC, and the effective carrying capacity (ECC).

4. South Andaman Islands

The South Andaman Island is the third largest island in the island group, located at latitude
of 11 47N and longitude 92 39E and immediately south of Middle Andaman Island, from
which it is separated by a narrow channel, a few hundred meters wide. The island is 93 km
long and 31 km in width with an area of 1348 km2. According to 2011 Census, the total
population of the South Andaman District is 238,142, of which South Andaman Island (part)
of Ferragunj Tehsil has a population of 53,560 and South Andaman island (part) of Port Blair
Tehsil is 155,937. The town of Port Blair, the administrative headquarters of the Union Territory
of the ANI, is situated at the south east coast of South Andaman. The population at Port Blair
is steadily increasing. The main tourist season in the region is between the months of November
and April. Being the entry point, Port Blair has a constant stream of visitors and tourist
accommodation facilities are available both of the government and private sector.
66 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

5. Methodology

In the present study, the methodology followed for carrying capacity assessment is based on
Cifuentess methodology [9]. This framework developed by Cifuentes [9] was also applied by
several authors [15, 23, 26, 3842]. This methodology was also followed by Ceballos-Lascurain
(1996) for estimating protected area carrying capacity (IUCN Publication 1996 Tourism,
Ecotourism and Protected Areas). This methodology is traditionally followed for the many
TCC studies such as Zacarias et al. [26] for beach recreation. Sayan and Atifk [15] used this
methodology for recreation carrying capacity of protected areas. The approach is to establish
the capacity of an area for a maximum visits based on the physical, biological, and management
conditions through the PCC, RCC, and the effective or permissible carrying capacity [39]. TCC
is divided into the following levels:

5.1. Physical carrying capacity (PCC)

PCC is the maximum number of tourists that can physically fit into or onto a specific area, over
a particular time.

PCC = A / Au Rf

where PCC is the physical carrying capacity; A is the size of the study/visited area; Au, area
required per user; Rf, rotation factor, is the number of visitor visiting per day.

An optimum area required per tourists (Au) is 5 m2.

Rf = daily open period / average time of visit

Rf = 12 hours /3 hours

Rf = 4

5.1.1. Geospatial techniques

The area between the shoreline and landward extent of the sandy beach was taken for
estimating the PCC. The satellite images of the LISS IV for the year 2013 with spatial resolution
of 5.8 m were used for calculation of the beach area along with extensive field verifications.
Onscreen digitization of beaches was made using visual interpretation techniques. The field
surveys were carried out using GPS track mode in each of the beaches for calculating exposed
areas of beaches during high and low tides.

5.2. Real carrying capacity (RCC)

The RCC was determined using equation

RCC = PCC (Cf1 Cf 2 Cf 3KCfn)

 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 67
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

where RCC = real carrying capacity; PCC = physical carrying capacity.

Cf1Cfn = correction factors. The correction factors were determined using the equation

Cfx = 1 - Lmx / Tmx

where Cfx = correction factor of variable x, Lmx = limiting magnitude of variable x,

Tmx = total magnitudeof variable x.

The correction factors are obtained by considering the biophysical, environmental, ecological,
social, and management variables. Tourism is dependent on nature, so some variables are
considered as correction factors for this study which include rainfall, sunshine, strong winds,
cyclone, and beach quality. These factors limit the tourism activities and measurement of the
sustainability level of a tourist destination [9, 39]. Therefore, correction factors are also known
as limiting factors of tourism. Calculations of correction factors for different limiting variables
are described below.

5.2.1. Correction factors

5.2.1.1. Rainfall (Cf1)

The ANI are situated in the equatorial belt and experiences warm and moist tropical climate.
These Islands are exposed to both the monsoons, viz. Southwest monsoon from May to
September and northeast monsoon from October to December. The average rainfall period of
the ANI is 152 days in a year [43, 44]. The total magnitude is the total number of days available
in a year (365 days). The correction factor for rainfall was determined by:

Cf1 = 1 - Lmx / Tmx

= 1 - 152 days / 365 days
= 1 - 0.4164
= 0.5835

5.2.1.2. Strong wind (Cf2)

In ANI under normal condition, the wind speed is fairly constant (9.5 km/h) but during cyclonic
events it may go as high as 200240 km/h. The Islands receive north-easterly wind between
the month of May and October, during the time wind speed may exceeds 25 km/h, but the
usual range is 515 km/h in different months [43, 44].
68 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

Cf 2 = 1 - Lmx / Tmx
= 1 - 62 days / 365 days
= 1 - 0.1698
= 0.8301

5.2.1.3. Excessive sunshine (Cf3)

Sunshine is the most important factor for beach tourism. In ANI, the months of March to May
are considered as summer season. During the dry summer period, ANI has recorded the
highest temperature. High temperature is recorded consistently during summer between 11
am and 3 pm. This high sunshine may lead to sunburn so the tourist arrival in this time period
is almost negligible. Thus, excessive sunshine in the summer season can be considered as a
limiting factor for the study area. The limiting magnitude for this parameter was determined
as 92 days 4 hours = 368 hours of excessive sunshine per year. The total magnitude was
determined as the total day of the year i.e. 365 days 12 hours = 4380 hours. Therefore, the
correction factor for excessive sunshine was determined as:
Cf 3 = 1 - Lmx / Tmx
= 1 - 368 hours / 4380 hours
= 1 - 0.02840
= 0.916

5.2.1.4. Cyclone (Cf4)

Cyclone is also an important correction factor that rarely occurs during tourism seasons. The
wind speed in normal condition is fairly constant (9.5 km/h) but during cyclonic events wind
speeds as high as 200240 km/h are prevalent. Generally in ANI, monsoon (between May and
November) is one of the important limiting factors of tourism. Island to island ferry services
and various tourism activities are affected by cyclonic storms during these months. The
limiting magnitude for this parameter was determined as 61 days, the total magnitude was
365 days, and the correction factor for cyclone was calculated by
Cf 4 = 1 - Lmx / Tmx
= 1 - 61days / 365 days
= 1 - 0.1671
= 0.8328

5.2.1.5. Beach quality (Cf5)

Beach quality is one of the most important parameters which may put direct impact on the
quality of beach tourism. Beach quality has negative impact on the tourists mind and may
reduce the satisfactory level of tourists. Beach quality assessment was done taking reference
from Nghi et al. [23] who used various geological criteria namely tide, near shore current, mud/
sand, thickness of sand layer, slope, clean sand, and quality of sea water. For the present study,
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 69
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

the beach quality assessment was carried out based on seven parameters, namely, beach
materials, beach slope, tide action, beach length, beach color, litter, and seawater quality. The
thickness of sand could not be measured. The results of beach quality assessment and correc
tion factor for beach quality were determined separately for all the beaches chosen for the
study. The Cf5 varies among different beaches and the results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
The estimation for beach quality for South Cinque Island is given below as an example.

Cf 5 = 1 - Lmx / Tmx
= 1 - 2 / 7parameters
= 1 - 0.29
= 0.7142
Island Area A = A/Au PCC Correction factors Cf RCC Mc ECC
(ha) Area Rain Strong Beach Sun Cycl
(m) fall wind quality shine one
South South 6.27 62,720 12,544 50176 0.58 0.8 0.71 0.91 0.83 0.25 41,646 0.37 15424
Andaman Cinque
(Port Blair North 4.26 42,607 8521 34,085 0.58 0.8 0.86 0.91 0.83 0.30 28,291 0.37 10,478
surroun Cinque
dings)
Chidyatapu 0.90 8996 1799 71,97 0.58 0.8 0.86 0.91 0.83 0.30 5973 0.74 4425

Jolly Buoy 2.33 23,272 4654 18,618 0.58 0.8 0.86 0.91 0.83 0.30 15,453 0.56 8585

Barabalu 2.56 25,563 5113 20,450 0.58 0.8 0.57 0.91 0.83 0.20 16,974 0.22 3772

Burmanala 2.49 24,912 4982 19,930 0.58 0.8 0.43 0.91 0.83 0.15 16,542 0.22 3676

Wandoor 3.80 37,971 7594 30,377 0.58 0.8 0.86 0.91 0.83 0.30 25,213 0.85 21,478

Carbyns 1.48 14,754 2951 11,804 0.58 0.8 0.57 0.91 0.83 0.20 9797 0.67 6531
Cove

Kurmadera 5.90 58,977 11,795 47,182 0.58 0.8 0.71 0.91 0.83 0.25 39,161 0.19 7252

Ross Island 0.20 2041 408 1632 0.58 0.8 0.43 0.91 0.83 0.15 1355 0.33 452

Badagadi 3.78 37,802 7560 30,242 0.58 0.8 1.00 0.91 0.83 0.35 25,101 0.70 17,570

Jahaji Dera 11.05 11,0500 22,100 88,400 0.58 0.8 0.70 0.91 0.83 0.27 73,372 0.19 13,941

Colinpur 1.26 12,612 2522 10,089 0.58 0.8 0.57 0.91 0.83 0.20 8374 0.19 1551

North Bay 1.03 10,326 2065 8261 0.58 0.8 0.43 0.91 0.83 0.15 6856 0.81 5587

Shoal Bay 1.87 18,681 3736 14,944 0.58 0.8 0.43 0.91 0.83 0.15 12,404 0.07 919

Red Skin 0.90 9000 1800 7200 0.58 0.8 0.81 0.91 0.83 0.28 5976 0.78 4661

Total 50.07 50,0733 10,0147 400,587 33,2487 12,6301

PCC = physical carrying capacity; Cf = correction factor; RCC = real carrying capacity; Mc = management capacity; ECC
= effective carrying capacity.

Table 1. Tourism carrying capacity of beaches of South Andaman.

70 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

Island Beach type Beach quality Total Estimated

Material Slope Tide Beach Beach Litter Quality
length Colour of Water
South South Sandy beach + + + + + 2/7 0.71
Andaman Cinque with exposed
(Port Blair Corals
surroun North Sandy beach, + + + + + + 1/7 0.86
dings) Cinque corals

Chidya Sandy beach, + + + + + + 1/7 0.86

tapu corals

Jolly Sandy beach, + + + + + + 1/7 0.86

Buoy corals, mangroves

Barabalu Sandy beach, + + + + 3/7 0.57

Corals

Burmanala Sandy beach, + + + 4/7 0.43

corals,
mangroves

Wandoor Sandy beach + + + + + + 1/7 0.86

with coral
deposits

Carbyns Sandy beach, + + + + 3/7 0.57

Cove Corals,
Seaweeds,
Mangroves

Kurmadera Sandy beach + + + + + 2/7 0.71

with exposed
rocky shore

Ross Pebble beach + + + 4/7 0.43

Island with sand
gravels and
coral
deposits

Badagadi Sandy beach, + + + + + + + 0/7 1.00

mangroves,
with coral
deposits

Jahaji Sandy beach + + + + + 2/2 0.70

Dera

Colinpur Sandy + + + + 3/7 0.57

beach and
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 71
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

Island Beach type Beach quality Total Estimated

Material Slope Tide Beach Beach Litter Quality
length Colour of Water
exposed
rocks

North Sandy beach + + + 4/7 0.43

Bay with exposed
rocky shore

Shoal Sandy beach, + + + 4/7 0.43

Bay corals

Red Skin Sandy Beach, + + + + + + 1/7 0.81

Corals

+ denotes good quality; denotes low quality.

Table 2. Beach quality assessment matrix of beaches of South Andaman.

5.3. Effective carrying capacity (ECC)

ECC is the maximum number of tourists that a site can sustain, given the management capacity
(Mc) available. The Mc indicates the present condition of tourism management in the respec
tive beaches and was estimated based on the available infrastructure, facilities, and amenities.
Zacarias et al. [26] stated that the ECC is a result of the combination of the RCC with the Mc
of the area, as described by the following equation:

ECC = RCC Mc

where ECC = effective carrying capacity; RCC = real carrying capacity; Mc = management
capacity. Mc was determined using infrastructure and equipments available, assessed by
means of tourist perception and evaluation during the survey period.

6. Results and discussion

Estimation of total area, area required per tourists, PCC, RCC, and ECC for various beaches
of the South Andaman was worked out based on the methodology described above and the
results are shown in Table 1. The beach quality assessment of matrix of each locations and the
management measure analysis are given in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. Figures 1 and 2
provide the assessment of TCC for beaches of Port Blair region. The beaches chosen for the
present study are the existing tourism sites declared by the Andaman Administration.
72 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

Figure 1. Study area map showing the locations of the beaches in South Andaman.

Figure 2. Tourist favorite beaches in South Andaman.AShoal Bay; BColinpur; CJahaji Dera; DBarabalu; E
Burmanala; FKurmadera; GSouth Cinque Island; HNorth Cinque Island; IChidyatapu; JRed Skin; KNorth
Bay; LBadagadi; MJolly Buoy; NCarbyns Cove; OWandoor.
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 73
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

Island Management activities Tourism activities Esti. Mc

Transpor Security/s Dining/ Bay Swim Snorkel Scuba Kaya other Credit
tation Safety refresh watch ming ling king water
mMeasures ment sports
South South + + + +++ +++ + 10 0.37
Andaman Cinque
(Port North + + + +++ +++ + 10 0.37
Blair) Cinque

Chidyatapu ++ ++ + +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ + 20 0.74

Jolly Buoy + + +++ + +++ +++ ++ + 15 0.56

Barabalu + +++ + + 6 0.22

Burmanala +++ + + + 6 0.22

Wandoor +++ +++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ + 23 0.85

Carbyns Cove +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ + +++ 18 0.67

Kurmadera + +++ + 5 0.19

Ross Island ++ + ++ ++ + + 9 0.33

Badagadi + +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ 19 0.70

Jahaji Dera + +++ + 5 0.19

Colinpur ++ ++ + 5 0.19

North Bay ++ ++ ++ +++ ++ +++ +++ ++ +++ 22 0.81

Shoal Bay ++ 2 0.07

Red Skin ++ ++ + ++ +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ 21 0.78

+++ = Fine; ++ = Moderate; + = Low; = Not available.

Table 3. Management measure analysis and tourisms activities for beaches of South Andaman.

PCC includes the maximum number of tourists that can physically be present at a certain time
and place and shall not exceed this range. Rotation factor is considered as an important
indicator for the development of management strategies for beach tourism, as it influences the
tourism capacity of a certain place. The numbers of the PCC are only theoretical and RCC was
calculated to check the extreme value of PCC considering some correction factors. Correction
factors that have been considered for this study include rainfall, strong wind, sunshine,
cyclone, and beach quality. Excluding beach quality, all correction factors considering for RCC
are same on all over the islands.

The total RCC of Port Blair area is 332,487 visitors/day, which in other words is the maximum
permissible number of people that should be allowed in the concerned area. Port Blair region
(including Ferragunj) spreads over an area of 3106 km2 with ~45% of ANIs population. Port
Blair, besides being the only town in ANI, is also the only entry point. Being the capital city,
74 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

Port Blair houses all the government and administrative offices of the UT. The main tourist
season in the region is between the months of November and April. Port Blair has a constant
stream of visitors (almost all the current tourists arrivals happen through Port Blair). The
tourists arrival for the year 20132014 was 258,418 (with 17,811 foreign tourists). This translates
to an average of ~700 visitors a day.

The places of tourist interest in the south Andaman district include place of historical interest
such as Cellular Jail and Rose Island (Port Blair), creeks, beaches, trekking, anthropological
museum, forest museums, emporiums and garden and parks. Cellular Jail is located on the
North East of Port Blair town was completed in 1906 and is a National Memorial. It derives its
name for its individual cells for the solitary confinement of Indias freedom fighters and
prisoners. Ross Island was the original capital during the British regime and this tiny island
(0.6 km2 area) is 10 minutes ferry journey from Port Blair. This island has remnants of the ball
room, chief commissioners house, government house, church, cemetery, hospital, bakery,
press, swimming pool, and troop barracks all in extreme dilapidated condition reminiscent of
bygone British era. Chatham Saw Mill is the Asias largest saw mill and is located North of
Port Blair and in the Chatham Island. The mill is the storehouse of a variety of wood species.
Carbyns Cove is a beach located 7 km from Port Blair. Historical Japanese bunkers can be seen
here. Snake Island is also located in the vicinity and it is recommended for scuba diving. Red
Skin and Jolly Buoy Islands are located southwest of Port Blair and can be approached from
Wandoor jetty. The Mahatma Gandhi National Park, it offers tourist attractions on coral marine
life which can be best viewed with the help of the glass bottomed boats. The North Cinque
Island is located south of Port Blair and linked to the South Cinque Island by a sand bar. North
Cinque Island has a wildlife sanctuary and underwater coral is the main interest of the tourists.

The Mc was estimated for various beaches based on the analysis of the tourism activities and
facilities available at each tourist destination. It varied among the different destinations
ranging from 0.07 to 0.85. It is observed that the beaches of the Port Blair region, namely, Shoal
Bay, Colinpur, Jahaji Dera, Burmanala, Barabalu, Kurmadera, and Cinque Islands, with low
Mc (<0.5), may be given priority for infrastructure development such as transportation and
hotel facilities and tourists safety to be ensured. The other beaches (having Mc > 0.5) such as
Chidyatapu, Red Skin, North Bay, Badagadi, Wandoor, Carbyns Cove, and Jolly Buoy have
adequate facilities for tourism operations and such activities need to be continued (Table 3).

Beach quality is one of the most important parameters, which may have direct impact on the
quality of beach tourism as it has negative impact on the tourists mind and may reduce the
satisfactory level of tourists. The beach quality of the study site was examined based on several
indicators viz., material of the beaches, slope, tide, beach length, beach color, litter, and quality
of water. It was observed that the beaches of Badagadi, Jahaji Dera, Chidaytapu, Jolly buoy,
Wandoor, Red Skin, Kurmadera, and Cinque islands (Mc > 0.7) have good beach quality,
support tourism activities (Table 2).
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 75
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

7. Effective carrying capacity (ECC)

Analysis indicates that each level constitutes a corrected capacity level of the preceding level
and showed that PCC is greater than the RCC and RCC is greater than the ECC. ECC seems
more acceptable than two other types of carrying capacity and is useful for development of
policy for beach tourism management, as it indicates the optimum number of tourists that
should be allowed on the beach with existing conditions and Mc. The total ECC for beaches of
Port Blair area is 126,301 visitors/day. But the available tourist accommodation in these islands
is well below the ECC of the region and needs to be increased considering the overall envi
ronmental quality. Tourist accommodation facilities are available both from the government
and private sectors. There are approximately 2840 beds available comprising 16 private hotels
affiliated to State Tourism Department, 19 government accommodation affiliated to State
Tourism Department, and 45 budget accommodation affiliated to State Tourism Department
[45]. There is a need for comprehensive survey on existing accommodation facilities at ANI to
update the status. The tourist arrival at ANI is constantly increasing every year. The total
tourist arrivals including domestic and foreign, for the year 20132014, is ~2.5 lakhs and it was
around 9596 in the year 1980 and 33716 in the year 1990 and 86,116 in the year 2000. The
international tourist arrivals have grown at a compounded annual growth rate of 4.1% p.a.
over the last 20 years. The Port Blair Master Plan2030 prepared by the A&N Administration
states that the average occupancy rate of organized accommodation has hardly reached 65%
and the peak occupancy rate records 2667 beds as against available 2837 beds (94%). It also
states that tourism has not reached its full potential in generation or acceleration of economy
in the Island though it offers vast scope for development. Considering the total ECC as well
as the yearly tourist flow (2.5 lakhs approximate), it can be concluded that the TCC is preserved
to accommodate a higher level of yearly tourist infiltration with adequate accommodation
provisions and management facilities in future. The assessment of TCC is also being refined
by us, based on local socio-economic, cultural, and ecological considerations to achieve a
balance between ecotourism development and safeguarding ecological conservation.

8. Conclusion

Assessment of carrying capacity is imperative for the coastal zone of India which is facing
rapid changes due to various developmental activities. Broadly, the concept of carrying
capacity refers to the ability of a system to support an activity or feature at a given level. Coastal
zones provide a variety of services and tourism is being practiced increasingly along many
coastal states of India. The tourism industry has environmental, social, cultural, and economic
impacts. Tourism carrying capacity assessment remains one of the most useful tool when
measures taken for management of coastal areas. Overall measuring TCC does not have to
lead to a single number (threshold), like the number of visitors. Even when this is achieved,
this limit does not necessarily obey to objectively, unchangeable, everlasting criteria. An upper
and a lower limit of TCC can be of more use than a fixed value. They are dependent on
76 Tourism - From Empirical Research Towards Practical Application

technology, preferences, and the structure of production and consumption. They are also
varying with the changing nature of interaction between the physical and biotic environment.

The present assessment of the TCC for the beaches of south Andaman showed that the tourism
activity is in lower level with its carrying capacity. This type of carrying capacity assessment
can be used as an input into the regular planning process. The ANI can be promoted for high-
value low-volume eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable tourism. There are other
issues related to water supply, sewage disposal, electricity and energy which are to be given
additional importance on a sustainable basis while planning for tourism development in these
islands, as tourism activity will add additional burden with regard to available infrastructure
and resources. The present requirement of water for Port Blair is 28.80 MLD. At present, only
90% of the total demand is available for supply. Sewerage and drainage system in Port Blair
and surrounding region is challenges in terms of land availability, rainfall runoff to the sea
because of the terrain. Sewage discharge has been projected to be 45 MLD for Port Blair
surrounding region by the year 2041 [45]. A comprehensive analysis on land use and water
availability, fresh water management, alternative sewage disposal methods considering the
island sensitive ecology, biodiversity extent and status, seawater quality and pollution level
for every island would further help for developing better tourism development strategies. The
Administration should ensure that the tourist resorts and homes and related establishments
should promote (i) self-generation of electricity using renewable energy sources such as solar
panels, bio-gas systems, etc.; (ii) development of additional freshwater resources through rain
water harvesting; and (iii) provisioning for sewage treatment plants.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Department of Environment and Forests, UT of A&N for providing
support for field work. Views expressed are of authors only and not necessarily of the affiliated
organizations.

Author details

R. Sridhar*, E. Yuvaraj, V. Sachithanandam, T. Mageswaran, R. Purvaja and R. Ramesh

*Address all correspondence to: sridharaug@gmail.com;sridhar@ncscm.res.in

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change, Government of India, Anna University Campus, Chennai, India
 Tourism Carrying Capacity for Beaches of South Andaman Island, India 77
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/62724

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