Toward an Integrated Visitor Management Framework for Protected Areas: A Comparative Review of Capacity, Experience, and Impact-Based Approaches

Abstract

Visitor pressure is rising in protected areas, intensifying ecological impacts and perceived crowding while increasing demand for high-quality recreation. This article presents a systematic scoping–integrative review of eleven visitor-management methodologies (Carrying Capacity, LAC, VERP, ROS/VOP, PSR, VIM, AAA, VAMP, TOMM, and SIMAVIS). Searches of peer-reviewed databases and authoritative agency literature (1979–2025) were screened with PRISMA-ScR and coded for theoretical assumptions, operational steps, indicator systems, and scales of application. Results show that all methodologies share a common adaptive architecture—objectives, opportunity or use allocation, indicators, standards, monitoring, and response—but diverge in their entry points and managerial emphasis. Synthesizing these convergences, the study proposes a PSR-aligned integrated pathway that sequences zoning, desired-condition standards, impact diagnosis, and optimization, positioning carrying capacity limits as a contingent response tool. The framework strengthens defensible, scalable visitor governance under growing tourism pressure.