A STUDY USING PHOTO METHOD TO EVALUATE RECREATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY IN PENGHU ISLANDS, TAIWAN

1. A STUDY USING PHOTO METHOD TO EVALUATE RECREATIONAL CARRYING CAPACITY IN PENGHU ISLANDS, TAIWAN • Shyi-Liang Yu • Department of Leisure Management, National Penghu Institute of Technology

2. Introduction • (1) Ecotourism promote local economy • (2) Ecotourism offers an opportunity for environmental learning • (3) Ecotourism operations use education-based management strategies

3. References 1. Ecotourism has been used as a mean of conserving wildlife and habitat (Burger & Gochfeld, 1993). 2. In local communities, increases in tourists primarily affect economy, environment, society, and culture. Other possible impacts are transmission of diseases and accidents caused from tourism (Lea, 1993; Wilson, 1995). 3. Ecotourism has potential negative impacts on the environment because of abuses and mismanaged activities; better planning and regulation can prevent such impacts (Blangy & Nielsen, 1993; Orams, 1995).

4. Ecotourism (Hetzer,1965 Miller,1993) 一、minimum environmental impacts 二、minimum cultural impacts 三、maximum economic benefits to host country 四、maximum recreation satisfaction

5. Ross & Wall(1999) sustainable use of resources local community natural resources support environmental conservation economical benefits education and recreational opportunity cultural learning tax ecotourism

6. Carrying Capacity (Shelby and Heberlein, 1984) 1. ecological capacity 2. physical capacity 3. facility capacity 4. social capacity

7. Objectives 1. defining indicators and standards of recreational carrying capacity of Chipei and Bird islands in Penghu 2. compare recreational carrying capacity between Chipei and Bird islands in Penghu

9. Study Site totalarea(km2) population Chipei island： 3.0508 1537 Bird island： 0.2653 1230 Chipei island is one of the most popular recreational area and Bird island is a traditional fishing village

10. Methods 1. Data were collected from a systematic self-administered questionnaire. 2. The questionnaire contained 38 items divided into three categories (Chipei island information, Bird island information and demographic data). 3. The Chipei and Bird islands information each contained 15 photo items about the preference of recreational sites, environments, and culture activities. 4. The last section, demographic data, consisted of 8 items about the interviewer information.

11. Recreational carrying capacity • (1) visitor variable = visitors x averaged stay divided by resident population x 365; • (2) economical variable = visitor spending divided by resident population; • (3) facility variable = number of hotel rooms per square kilometer; • (4) social variable = A set of 15 photographs was developed for each island to evaluate based on a 5 point Likert Scale • (5)The formula: [(1+2+3)×4]1/2 was constructed and derived from the four variables to calculate the index of recreational carrying capacity

12. Results • 1. Of the 227 respondents, 118 participants (52%) were females and 109 participants (48%) were males. • 2. Forty percent of participants were employed in the private industry, 20% in the public industry, 12.0% were housekeepers, and 28% were students or retired. • 3. Of the respondents, 8% aged between 10 to 19, 51% aged between 20 to 29, 20% aged 30 to 39, 11% aged 40 to 49, 9 % aged 50 to 59 and 1% aged over 60.

13. Chipei island Bird island 照片10 (海岸1) 4.33 照片10(海岸1) 3.87 照片3 (海岸2) 3.72 照片14 (海岸2) 3.67

14. Chipei island Bird island 照片11(海岸3) 2.57 照片9(海岸3) 3.26 照片4(海岸4) 2.04 照片4(海岸4) 3.55

15. Chipei island Bird island 照片12 (海岸5) 2.04 照片8 (海岸5) 2.19 人文環境照片 人文環境照片 照片13(人文1) 3.79 照片5(人文1) 3.62

16. Chipei island Bird island 照片5 (人文2) 3.37 照片7 (人文2) 3.09 照片8(人文3) 3.85 照片3 (人文3) 3.24

17. Chipei island Bird island 照片14(人文4) 3.11 照片2(人文4) 3.88 照片1(人文5) 2.51 照片6(人文5) 3.77

18. Chipei island Bird island 遊憩環境照片 遊憩環境照片 照片6 (遊憩1) 3.72 照片13(遊憩1) 4.06 照片7(遊憩2) 3.48 照片1(遊憩2) 3.74

19. Chipei island Bird island 照片15(遊憩3) 3.25 照片12 遊憩3 3.33 照片9(遊憩4) 2.92 照片15(遊憩4) 3.34

20. Chipei island Bird island 照片2(遊憩5) 2.54 照片11(遊憩5) 2.93 social variable：3.03 social variable：3.44

21. Procedure • 1) visitor variable ：= visitors x averaged stay divided by resident population x 365 • Chipei island:573,321 persons×0.75 day/1,537 persons＝279.76 • Bird island:52,400 persons×0.25 day/1,230 persons＝10.65 • (2)economical variable = visitor spending divided by resident population • Chipei island:(1,843NT×0.75day)×573,321persons/1,537＝515,597.24 • Bird island:(1,200NT×0.25day)×52,400persons/1,230persons＝12,780.49

22. (3)facility variable = number of hotel rooms per square kilometer • chipei island:286 rooms/3.0508 km2＝93.75 • bird island: 12 rooms/0.2653 km2＝45.23 • (4)social variable = A set of 15 photographs was developed for each island to evaluate based on a 5 point Likert Scale • Chipei island: 3.03 Bird island: 3.44 • formula：【（1+2+3）×4】1/2 • Recreational carrying capacity： • Chipei island 【（279.76+515,597.24+93.75）×3.03】 1/2 • Bird island 【（10.65+12,780.49+45.23）×3.44】 1/2 • Chipei island: 1250.36 Bird island: 210.14

23. Summary • 1. The study showed that the recreational carrying capacity of Chipei island was 1250 persons and Bird island was 210 persons. They are on the tourism score of B and can be developed to tourism sites for nationals. • 2. The Chipei island is a favorite site for tourists to visit in summer time. The island is characterized by crowding, short average visitor stays on, and lost natural amenities. The Bird island is a natural area without any artificial attractions, increase in repeat visitation and visitor satisfaction.

24. 3. A monitoring program will be designed and implemented to ensure that standards of quality are not violated and that the level of visitor use remains within the island’s carrying capacity. • 4. Management strategies are being initiated to help ensure that standards of quality will be improved on Chipei island.