Effects of User Density Levels on Recreational Walking Experiences

Abstract

Over the past 25 years, attempts to increase the quality of visitor experiences have been a priority in outdoor recreational areas for planners and managers. Recreation planners should determine acceptable usage levels for an area before making planning decisions. Physical, economical, ecological and social carrying capacity of that area must be determined, in order to assess acceptable usage levels. In this study, the influence of the characteristics of the area on visitor perception of user density levels was evaluated. The activity of walking was chosen to determine the perception of the user density level. Walking was chosen because it is a recreational activity that can be performed easily and frequently by visitors of outdoor recreational areas without any need for experience. Factors affecting the perception and effects of the user density level on visitors were examined from urban recreational areas to rural recreational areas. According to our results, characteristics of the recreational area and changes in the perception of suitable user density levels varied according to the recreational activities performed in an area. Specifically, rural recreation users tolerated less user density. In contrast to the expected, female users preferred lower user density.