Recreational carrying capacity of three Amazon macrotidal beaches during the peak vacation season

• Published in: Journal of coastal research Vol. SI; no. 64; pp. 1292 - 1296
• Main Authors: de Sousa, R.C., Pereira, L.C.C., Silva, N.I.S., Oliveira, S.M.O., Pinto, K.S.T., da Costa, R.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fort Lauderdale COASTAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. [CERF] 01.01.2011; Allen Press Inc
• Subjects: Beaches; Carrying capacity; Coastal; Coastal Tourism; Coastal zone; Coastal zone management; Insolation; Municipalities; Neap tides; Population density; Seasons; Spring tides; Tides; Tourism; Vacations; ASW, Brazil, Para; South America, Amazon R
• ISSN: 0749-0208; 1551-5036

The coastal zone of the Brazilian Amazon region covers a vast area characterized by a low population density and well-preserved ecosystems with considerable potential for tourism. In Pará state, the municipalities of Bragança, Maracanã and Salinópolis offer the best potential for the development of the tourism industry due to their cultural, geographical, and historical characteristics. The principal beaches of these three municipalities – Ajuruteua, Princesa and Atalaia – receive large numbers of tourists during the peak season (July). The present study aimed to understand the recreational carrying capacity (RCC) of these three beaches during periods of peak visitation. Each beach was surveyed over a four-day period (Friday-Monday) in July, 2009 (Ajuruteua and Princesa during spring tides, and Atalaia beach during the neap tide). During each survey, the number of beachgoers resent along a pre-established transect was counted every hour between 8 am and 6 pm. The results indicate that the pattern of recreational use was similar at the three sites. Peak visitation occurred between 10 am and 4 pm, and the most popular days were Saturday and Sunday, and the least popular was Friday. The RCC of all three beaches was thus influenced by factors such as the day of the week, insolation, access, and tide levels, and the ideal RCC values of 5-25 m²/person were exceeded at all three sites.