Navigating the Future: The Integration of Spatial Techniques in Sustainable Tourism Management: A Case Study of Rajgad Fort, Pune, Maharashtra'

Abstract The rapid escalation of unregulated heritage and adventure tourism in the Western Ghats presents a formidable challenge to ecological conservation and archaeological preservation. This paper operationalizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and high-resolution Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Remote Sensing to transition heritage tourism management from an aggregate-volume approach to a spatially explicit discipline, utilizing Rajgad Fort in the Pune District as the primary study region. Situated at an elevation of 1,376 meters, Rajgad served as the first capital of the Maratha Empire for nearly three decades and is newly inscribed as a 2025 UNESCO World Heritage Site component. Despite its sprawling 40 km base diameter, the fort's functional tourist carrying capacity is severely constrained by rugged geomorphology, complex terrain, and the fragility of its archaeological remnants. By synthesizing Digital Elevation Models (DEM), multi-temporal vegetation indices, and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), we formulate a localized Spatial Tourism Carrying Capacity (STCC) model. We dynamically calculate the Physical, Real, and Effective Carrying Capacities for the fort's prominent geographic divisions—including Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Sanjeevani Machi, and the central Balekilla. Furthermore, we construct an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) matrix to map ecotourism suitability, explicitly designed to mitigate anthropogenic trail erosion and protect intricate ancient water management systems. The findings demonstrate that empirical spatial intelligence is indispensable for enforcing scientifically backed growth caps and safeguarding Maharashtra's historic military landscapes.