Tourist area life cycle (Butler model) and carrying capacity
GeographyGlobal Economy & DevelopmentAges 17–18
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Sign in to playA fictional beach resort moves through Butler's tourist area life cycle: exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation, then decline, stabilisation or rejuvenation. Set the growth in visitor demand, investment and the share of locally owned businesses, switch on visitor quotas, protective zoning or ecotourism from a chosen year, and compare visitor numbers with the physical, ecological and social carrying capacity, alongside spending, leakage, jobs, environmental quality and residents' attitudes (Doxey's Irridex).
Lesson: Tourism and sustainable development: Butler's tourist area life cycle, carrying capacity, economic, social and environmental impacts, ecotourism and sustainable management
What it shows
Butler's model (1980) describes how a tourist destination changes over time. A few explorers arrive first; locals then provide services; outside companies invest and visitor numbers grow fast; growth slows as the resort consolidates; at stagnation numbers reach the limits of what the place can take. Beyond that point the resort may decline, stabilise or be rejuvenated. This simulation links the curve to three carrying capacities – physical, ecological and social – and shows how leakage, jobs, environmental damage and residents' attitudes change with the management choices.
How to use
Set Growth in visitor demand, Investment and Local businesses, then tick Visitor quota, Protective zoning or Ecotourism and choose the year they start. Drag on the Butler graph or use Year and Play to move through time; press Rejuvenate in the year shown to add a new attraction. Press Add to table to compare scenarios.
Parameters you can change
- Growth in visitor demand (marketing) 5–30 %/year
- Investment in hotels and infrastructure (0–100) 0–100
- Share of businesses owned by local people 0–100 %
- Visitor quota (below the lowest carrying capacity)
- Protective zoning of the reef and dunes
- Ecotourism
- Year the management measures start 0–60
- Year of rejuvenation (0 = none) 0–60
- Year shown 0–60
Questions to explore
- Why do visitor numbers fall after they pass the ecological carrying capacity even though hotel rooms are still free?
- How does the share of locally owned businesses change local income and residents' attitudes?
- What do visitor quotas and ecotourism trade off between economic benefits and environmental quality?
