Indicator Framework and Methods for Assessing Tourism Carrying Capacity  of Community-Based Ecotourism in Vietnam - A Review

Date Received: 07-05-2025

Date Accepted: 28-01-2026

Date Published: 29-04-2026

##submissions.doi##: https://doi.org/10.31817/tckhnnvn.2026.24.4.14

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Ha, H., Dung, N., Chung, N., & Nguyet, T. (2026). Indicator Framework and Methods for Assessing Tourism Carrying Capacity  of Community-Based Ecotourism in Vietnam - A Review. Vietnam Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 24(4), 573–585. https://doi.org/10.31817/tckhnnvn.2026.24.4.14

Indicator Framework and Methods for Assessing Tourism Carrying Capacity  of Community-Based Ecotourism in Vietnam - A Review

Hoang Dung Ha (*) , Nguyen Tien Dung 1 , Nguyen Van Chung 1 , Tran Thi Anh Nguyet 1

  • Tác giả liên hệ: [email protected]
  • 1 Đại học Nông lâm, Đại học Huế

    • Keywords

    Tourism carrying capacity, capacity assessment, community-based ecotourism, sustainable tourism, indicator framework

    Abstract


    Tourism carrying capacity is a critical tool for sustainable tourism management, particularly important for community-based ecotourism (CBET) in Vietnam. Using a systematic review approach following the PRISMA protocol, from an initial 127 documents, the study selected 36 high-quality publications (2013-2023) from Scopus, Web of Science, and domestic sources to propose an indicator set comprising 23 components across 4 groups: environmental (5 indicators), social (6 indicators), economic (6 indicators), and management (6 indicators), of which 12 are core indicators and 11 are supplementary indicators. The weights of the 4 criteria groups were determined through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with 7 experts (CR = 4.78%): environmental carrying capacity 28.9%, management carrying capacity 26.0%, social carrying capacity 23.9%, and economic carrying capacity 20.5%. The Tourism Carrying Capacity Index (TCCI) was calculated using the formula TCCI = 0.289 × ENV + 0.239 × SOC + 0.205 × ECO + 0.260 × GOV, with classification thresholds: 0-0.2 (Extremely overloaded), 0.2-0.4 (Overloaded), 0.4-0.6 (Warning), 0.6-0.8 (Balanced), 0.8-1 (Safe). This is the first multidimensional assessment framework specifically designed for CBET in Vietnam, integrating the central role of local communities and the distinctive characteristics of small-scale ecological conservation.

    Author Biographies

    Nguyen Tien Dung, Đại học Nông lâm, Đại học Huế

    Giảng viên bộ môn Khuyến nông, khoa Phát triển nông thôn

    Nguyen Van Chung, Đại học Nông lâm, Đại học Huế

    Giảng viên bộ môn Kinh tế

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