Within the main elements of economic sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability, and environmental sustainability, the criteria of 'carrying capacity' have ben emphasized through residents' perception analysis to explore practical methods towards the application and implementation of such criteria. As data analysis revealed, the main tourist resources in the case of North Cyprus -the coast and the beach-have a certain capacity to sustain the impact and pressure of tourism. Despite the

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... cance of the indigenous environment and with respect to the residents' perception of optimum carrying capacity levels, this issue has not been given a due consideration. This has resulted in a process of coastal development which bypasses any measure ore application of a standard to harmonize the degree of physical development and the capacity of the beach. The main objective of this paper is to establish the concept of 'carrying capacity' as the means to achieve the reconciliation of environmental impacts with tourism development. The study concludes that, if carrying capacity measurement and its implementation are not incorporated into the planning decision as a clear policy, there will be grave negative consequences for those resources attracting visitors. Witbjn the main elements of economic snsfainabi6~, sonprultural sur*unabilig, and envimnmentaf snskrinabili/y, thc d m a of 'cqing coprtcIfy'ha~ hen emphasipd through &nts'pernption anayrii to @lonprarhu/ meibodr fowardr thc qpliution and implementation of such c i i & Rr data ona4sir nceak4 rbc mmn tourist nsoxrm in thr core of Norfb Crpmt-the coast and 1 1 k a c k b m a &mn C@M$ to sns!ain the i@af andpressurc or fonnrm. Dcqitc tk @n$cmcc offbe indigenous envimnmtnt and with nspect to tbr nsid~s'pnrsption o,foptimum cmrylitg capMij kwh, this issue hns not beengiwn n due mnsidcration. T6is bar nsuifed in o p m n s~ oJmmtol dewbpmmf wbicb bparres any mearure on oPP/&bn o/a s&d to bmmoniv the degree o,fpbdcaIdrvc(pmenf and the rqm'o oftbe beach. The mojn o&dw ofthirpopcr IS lo utablih thc m n r p of'cu~ing capmb'a the means to arbieu the nconflfr;lIon ofenuimnmenfaf imp& ~' t b to& Imbpmenf. Thc study roncludes tbet, grmrying r @~9 memunmmt and its rinpkmcnfation me not inrmporded into /beplanning deGon as a ckarpolig, t h m MU begram neg~~tiw consegmncesfor the those wmurccs atharhng &tors.