Challenges and Problems of Sustainable Development of Tourism in Protected Areas: Example of National Parks in Poland

Abstract

One of the most important global trends in nature conservation today is the desire to reconcile the interests of nature conservation with the various spheres of economic and social activity of man. Society is moving away from passive and conservative nature conservation to seeking active forms of protection that will ensure the integration of the function of ecological protected areas and their socioeconomic development. Tourism is attributed a particular role in the process. The chapter presents contemporary challenges and problems of sustainable development of tourism in protected areas, both in theoretical and practical terms (on the example of national parks in Poland). In particular, the chapter analyses the theoretical aspects of the nature and principles of sustainable tourism development in protected areas, shows the system of protected areas in Poland, including the tourist potential of national parks to create competitive tourism products on the European market, identifies the main barriers to sustainable tourism development in national parks. The work uses the case study and the desk research method.