The rapid growth and unregulated development associated with mass tourism can significantly degrade natural resources and strain public facilities and services, particularly in small tourist communities. Island destinations, often referred to as tourism’s “fragile magnets,” serve as key examples. These areas attract visitors due to their unique natural and scenic qualities, yet these same resources are highly vulnerable to tourism-related impacts. Methodologies for assessing visitor impacts on recreational resources are increasingly relevant for tourism management at the community level. The concept of carrying capacity—originally developed for recreation management—can be adapted to support tourism and growth management objectives. Capacity-based planning allows tourist communities, or any rapidly growing area, to identify growth limits and guide development in a way that aligns with the community’s ability to support it.