Abstract
Unlike touristification, overtourism is associated with tourist pressure that exceeds a destination's carrying capacity, producing irreversible effects on the environment, infrastructure, and society. The Aeolian Islands offer an ideal laboratory for examining these
dynamics, given their environmental vulnerability and highly seasonal tourist flows. This
study proposes an interpretive model, using ISTAT and environmental data and the use of
three indicators to observe the intensity and patterns of tourist pressure.
Keywords: Overtourism, Aeolian Islands, tourism carrying capacity, sustainable management, protection of local communities