Conceptual Framework for Rethinking of Nature Heritage Management and Health Tourism in National Parks

Abstract

Rapid development of tourism and growing competition among tourism destinations calls to rethink new trends of heritage management and tourism policy development in protected areas. It is widely recognized, that the largest concentration of natural and cultural tourism resources is in protected areas, in particular – national and regional parks and reserves. Remote national parks in Europe suffer from peripherality and face the challenge of rethinking of tourism policy and heritage management due to rapidly changing tasks for visitors’ attraction. The aim of the study is to analyze conceptual framework of new trends of heritage management in above-mentioned areas. New initiatives of development of the peripheral national park areas as innovative tourist destinations and exploiting the recognized health benefits of the local nature heritage and resources have been observed in whole Europe (Curonian Spit NP Lithuania, Hohe Tauern NP Austria etc.) regardless of the region and type of park. Conceptual elements of the framework of new heritage management in remote national parks are discussed in the study such as health tourism over traditional nature tourism; tourist attraction network over tourist monotype activities.