Sustainable tourism and ecological challenges in Taiwan's southwest coast national scenic area: An ecological footprint and carrying capacity assessment

Sustainability and climate change have become pivotal issues in contemporary tourism discourse, requiring urgent attention to their ecological impacts. This study explores sustainability indicators of tourism and ecological safety in Taiwan's southwest coast national scenic area (SCNSA), emphasizing how tourism growth between 2010 and 2022 has impacted the region's ecological balance. Employing the ecological footprint (EF) and ecological carrying capacity (ECC) frameworks, we evaluated key metrics, which include tourism ecological deficit and surplus, the ecological pressure index, and the environmental sustainability index. The findings showed a 65.30 % increase in the overall EF during the study period; among the major activity categories, transportation had the highest EF, whereas wastewater treatment had the lowest EF. Moreover, the per capita tourism ecological deficit increased by 8.56 %. By 2022, the ecological pressure index surged to 1.88, and the environmental sustainability index decreased to 0.35, highlighting that tourism expansion in SCNSA surpassed its ECC. These results emphasize the region's increasing ecological vulnerability, which is exacerbated by external factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters. This study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between tourism development, sustainability, and ecological health, presenting practical guidance for preserving and sustainably managing ecologically sensitive destinations. • Transportation is the main contributor to the ecological footprint in tourism. • Tourism growth exceeded ecological carrying capacity, threatening regional ecological health. • Improved management strategies are essential for sustainable tourism and ecological safety.