This term refers to the maximum number of visitors a location can handle in three main aspects: physical, ecological, and perceptual.

• Physical Carrying Capacity: Measures physical space, like car parking spots.
• Ecological Capacity: The level of use an environment can handle before environmental damage occurs.
• Perceptual Capacity: The level of crowding a tourist will tolerate before considering the place too crowded.

Real-world example: Think of a local park. It can only hold so many picnic-goers (physical), keep its grass green with so much foot traffic (ecological), and remain enjoyable before it feels too crowded (perceptual).

Venice is a beautiful historic city dealing with conflicts between the tourist industry, which wants more visitors, and locals who prefer fewer tourists.

Optimum carrying capacity for Venice is over 8 million people annually, but visitor numbers are unevenly distributed - they surge in summer and on weekends.

If carrying capacity is exceeded, it could harm the environment and its preservation. Negative impacts of tourism include social and economic problems like over-population, congestion, and competition for resources.

Real-world example: Imagine a cozy café you love - if it's crowded all the time, you might stop going. That's what's happening in Venice - resident visitors are being replaced by day trippers, who don't contribute as much to the local economy.

Measures taken to control day tripper influx include denying access via the main coach terminal and charging entrance fees. Yet, Venice continues to attract tourists, which further alienates the local population.

Since 2000, an increasing number of cruise liners have docked at Venice, leading to a spike in visitor numbers but also a decline in the value of tourism - cruise passengers spend less in the city than other types of tourists.

Excessive day tripping leads to a decline in the quality of the tourist experience, which is a problem affecting many historic cities globally.

Real-world example: It's like going to a music concert, but because there are so many people, you can't enjoy the music - that's the deteriorating tourist experience in Venice due to overcrowding.