Assessment of acceptable tourism beach carrying capacity in both normal and COVID-19 pandemic conditions – case study of the Town of Mali Lošinj

The paper presents an assessment of the acceptable tourist bathing load with regard to the physical, real, and effective carrying capacity of coastal beaches. In the case study of the Town of Mali Lošinj (Croatia), the paper scrutinises the carrying capacity of beaches categorised according to their basic characteristics and presents an analysis of beach capacity in the real conditions of the 2018 tourist season and in three hypothetical scenarios, two of which involve the application of recommendations for COVID-19 epidemiological measures. The basic hypothesis of the paper is that the real carrying capacity of beaches in the researched area under normal conditions is close to the upper load limits and that the carrying capacity of beaches will no longer be sufficient (vis-à-vis demand) when epidemiological recommendations are applied. The aim of this paper is to provide measurable bases for sustainable physical plans and development policies in tourism.