Managing tourism pressure: Exploring tourist traffic patterns and seasonality in mountain national parks to alleviate overtourism effects

As the number of people visiting national parks in Poland is constantly growing, it is important to recognise their varying motivations and preferences. This is particularly important in the most popular national parks, such as the National Park in the Karkonosze Mountains (KNP). KNP is visited by two millions tourists annually, which makes it the second most popular national park in Poland. The aim of study was to classify visitors of the national park in terms of their motivation to visit. Three main categories of visitors were identified: leisure seekers, nature lovers and active tourists. The category of leisure seekers was the largest and most diverse with respect to their preferences. Nature lovers knew a lot about the park, especially as regards its geodiversity and its fauna and flora. The number of active visitors keeps growing every year. Active tourism, especially in the KPN, requires advanced equipment and good physical fitness. The findings of the study tourism trends in mountain national parks and can provide insights for its management. The article ends with some predictions regarding future trends and changes in the classification of KPN visitors after the pandemic.

A method to analyze variability and seasonality the visitors in mountain national park in period 2017–2020 (Stołowe Mts. National Park; Poland)

This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland in the context of increased tourist traffic. The research area comprised Polish national parks as they are characterized by barely altered nature, little human impact, and undisturbed natural phenomena. The methods involved the observational method, literature analysis and criticism, and the in-depth interview method employed in November 2019. The respondents included national park management staff. The questions were prepared in accordance with the Berlin Declaration principles of sustainable tourism development and were extended with the authors’ own items. The questionnaire contained 17 questions, grouped in four parts: science and documentation; tourism; cooperation and education; environmental threats. The results indicate that in order for actions to prove efficient in a park, a conservation plan should be carefully developed. Its correctness requires monitoring the state of the environment, tourist traffic size and trends, and tourists’ impact on the environment. An important condition for effective tourism management in parks is to increase the competences of the administering bodies and knowledge regarding individuals’ responsibilities. Boards should be able to evaluate and modify conservation plans, spatial development plans, municipality development strategies, and projects for investments within the parks.

The aim of the article is to compare the legal and administrative foundations of the functioning of national parks as factors determining the quality of management. National parks in Poland and Ukraine, representing different nature protection systems, were selected for the comparative analysis and evaluation. The data was obtained from published sources. The most important were legislations that create the legal basis of the nature protection systems in both countries. The available data were used for analysis using the Desk Research method. There are numerous differences between the Polish and Ukrainian systems of protected areas, mostly based upon the position in the government structure (what is the way of creating the national park and which ministry is responsible for it). Despite those differences, general conclusions can be drawn. Due to the separate legal entity of individual units, as well as subordination to various ministries, there is no clear link between the institutions. This hinders the flow of information and reporting and complicates the decision-making process both at individual units and between national parks.

The study aims concern to nature-based tourism in national parks, to compare visitor behavior and visitors’ spatial and temporal distribution in national parks during the COVID-19 (2020) and pre- COVID-19 period (2017–2019). The research is based on a pyroelectric sensors data, entrance fees and questionnaire survey of visitors, in order to: (1) assess the spatial and temporal distribution and changes of visitors, (2) characterize changes in visitors’ behavior. The visitor number and spatial and temporal distribution changed during COVID-19 period. The visitor’s behavior identifies three visitor clusters depending on the strength of COVID-19 pandemic impact on stay on national parks: High fear visitors (HFV), Low fear visitors (LFV) and No fear visitors (NFV). Each cluster represents a different attitude toward the pandemic and its effects. The research was conducted in two national parks in Poland: Stołowe Mountains National Park and Karkonosze/Giant Mts. National Park. The resulting data were compared with data from previous years. A total of 935 respondents participated in the survey, which demonstrated a significant impact of the ongoing pandemic on many aspects of the behaviors. Most visitors argued that the pandemic had not changed their behavior because society began to perceive national parks as safe destination with a low probability of infection. 

The practice of active and qualified tourism in national parks in Poland and Slovakia has longstanding traditions. Primarily, these parks have been a place of individual recreational activity, as well as a place to educate and convene with nature. Recently, sport tourism, which is characterized by the participation of tourists in mass organized sporting events mainly of a competitive nature, has been gaining more popularity. Even though this activity takes place in protected areas, sports are the main priority, rather than educational goals. Natural values have the primary function of enriching emotional experiences, and exploring wildlife is not an end in itself. Running events are now at the head of the list as the most popular sporting events in Poland and in Slovakia. The authors of the article focused on protected areas in Poland and Slovakia, largely because these countries were considering organizing one of the world’s biggest sports events together: The Winter Olympic Games (2022). The purpose of the study was to recognize the attitude of Polish and Slovak national park authorities toward the organization of mass sports events in protected areas. A diagnostic survey was conducted using the method of interviews with the directors of Polish and Slovak national parks. The research results shed light on the current state of development of sports event tourism in protected areas in the two countries. The article examines the response of Polish and Slovak park authorities to the changes of the current era of shifting societal needs regarding physical development, in particular with regard to the sustainability of protected areas. Currently, there is a lack of a strategic approach toward the development of sports tourism in national parks in Poland and Slovakia. The answers given in the interviews create an image that indicates a differentiated approach to the issue of permitting the organization of sports events in the areas of national parks. It turns out that the practice in these areas is different in individual parks. The diagnosis presented in the article indicates that it is necessary to undertake interdisciplinary and international research among environmentalists, economists, sociologists, anthropologists, and physical culture specialists in order to develop methods for measuring the impact of sporting events organized in natural areas in this part of Europe.

Purpose: National parks in Poland and other countries are an important form of protection of natural areas.Their wide-ranging activities aimed not only at the protection of biodiversity but also at the realization of social, educational, scientific, recreational functions require appropriate financing.The purpose of this article is to identify the sources of income, the direction of expenditures and to present the financial results of selected national parks in Poland.Design/Methology/Approach: A methodological principle in empirical scientific research is the principle of triangulation.It indicates the need to use at least three complementary research methods.The method of literature analysis, analysis of empirical secondary materials and the method of statistical analysis were used to write the article.The complementary research methods adopted allow to achieve more objective results from the research conducted.Findings: the research showed that the leading source of funding for national parks in Poland is subsidies from the state budget.The parks also receive financial revenues from their own activities and from support from the public finance sector.A small amount of funding is received by some national parks from the European Union.Among the costs incurred for their activities, the costs of salaries of employees are dominant.Practical Implicatioms: The theoretical analysis of the problem studied and the research results presented in the article has practical value.

National parks are highly valuable natural areas and have the potential to attract a large number of visitors. The number of visitors at national parks is systematically increasing, often exceeding Tourism Carrying Capacity (TCC) of trails. This situation requires adjusting the number of park visitors to adapt to sustainable management systems of visitor flow, thus preventing or counteracting overtourism. The aim of the study is to propose a comprehensive method for tourists monitoring in mid-mountain national park presented on the example of the Stołowe Mountains National Park (SMNP) in Poland, called as Monitoring System of tourist traffic (MSTT). The study describes six stages procedure of tourists Monitoring System creation and application as an optimal measurement technique. The MSTT enabled a multidimensional analysis of tourist traffic in SMNP. With the help of 39 pyroelectric sensors and surveys data spatio-temporal characteristic of visitor flow was obtained. The data generated in MSTT included hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and annual reports, taking into account the direction of traffic measuring both directions: entries (IN), exits (OUT) and passages (IN+OUT). The results from pyroelectric sensors were supplemented with field surveys, where visitor’s motivations, preferences, and behaviours were determined. In 2017 a total of 871,344 visitors were recorded in SMNP what causes one of the most popular national parks in Poland. The SMNP is a suitable destination for short breaks leisure visits in wilderness. In order to sustain MSTT methodology in the long-run the set of guidelines together with the workload estimates were presented. In the future, the MSTT can be further developed, including monitoring of climbing, cycling, cross-country skiing, car traffic and illegal tourism assessment. The MSTT can be considered as a useful tool for tourism management in mid-mountain national parks throughout the entire calendar year.

In Poland, mountain national parks are visited by about 8 million tourists annually. As a result, national parks must have a properly developed infrastructure to accommodate such a large number of people. Tourism development in mountain national parks satisfies the needs of tourist participants and should increase the attractiveness of the area, fit into the cultural concepts of a given region, and promote its development. The research aims to determine the consequences of making mountain national parks available in Poland and determine the factors determining the attractiveness of the protected area and the related tourist burden. Nine mountain national parks located in Poland were selected for the research. An interview was conducted with employees of mountain national parks concerning (a) the tourist burden on the national park, (b) the tourist management of the national park and its surroundings, and (c) the impact of tourist traffic on the natural environment. Parameters characterizing the intensity and spatial character of tourist traffic, tourist management, and the influence of tourist traffic on the natural environment of mountain national parks are discussed. The study presents the parameters determining: tourist traffic density, tourist route density, and tourist traffic intensity. A map of the development of the surroundings of national parks was presented, and its influence on tourist traffic was determined. The obtained results were discussed in the context of the consequences of tourist traffic in mountain national parks. The result of the work was the development of a map of the tourist load of mountain national parks in Poland. Tourism is of crucial importance for the proper functioning of national parks. However, if not properly cultivated, it threatens the fauna and flora of such areas. Rational use of natural resources by tourists visiting mountain national parks is crucial to maintain the balance between man and nature. Proper supervision and management in the national park, as well as the collective responsibility of tourists visiting national parks and the community living in their vicinity, is of fundamental importance for the proper functioning of the system in national parks and nearby tourist destinations.

The paper analyzes the problem of stagnation in the creation of new national parks in Poland, identifying key barriers and proposing solutions. The background to the study refers to the role of national parks in nature conservation, but at the same time highlights the problem of the limited development of the park network in Poland, which remains at 1.05% of the country’s area—well below the EU average. The main obstacles identified by the author are the resistance of local governments due to the reduction in forest tax revenues and the differences in salaries between employees of national parks and state forests. Research methods included legal and economic analysis and a review of the literature on national park management. The results indicate that the problem can be solved by adequate financial compensation to local communities and the introduction of a co-management model that integrates the interests of local governments and parks. The article suggests that a change in the approach of the government administration and a more participatory management model can help to break the stagnation and increase the number of national parks, which is relevant not only for Poland but also for other countries struggling with similar challenges.

The article is divided into two parts. Its first part analyses the functions of environmental education and land sharing performed by national parks in Poland. The second part presents the transformations of both tourist and nature protection functions of 117 municipalities (gminas), territorially linked with 23 national parks in Poland. For this purpose, a statistical analysis was carried out, applying linear ordering methods—synthetic development measures (SDM) were used. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of municipalities in each of the defined areas was carried out, along with an assessment of the correlation between the level of the nature protection function and the tourist function development. The research covers the years 2001–2016. SDM of nature protection function and tourist function in the municipalities linked with national parks indicate stability of the nature protection function as well as dynamic changes in the tourist function. It allows rejecting the research hypothesis that national parks intend to block the tourist function of municipalities. The research findings indicate the need for cooperation between municipalities and national parks not only for the sake of nature protection, but also for the purpose of area economic activation.

Protected areas (PAs) serve as crucial elements in biodiversity conservation but are in danger of becoming isolated islands in human-dominated landscapes. It is related to landscape changes, especially changes in land use and land cover (LULC). Over the past decades, most research on the effectiveness of nature conservation has focused mainly on PAs, while the areas surrounding PAs are of key importance for maintaining ecological connectivity and biodiversity. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to determine the long-term changes in LULC within the selected national park in Poland and its surroundings and to assess the effectiveness of the BZ based on these changes. We hypothesized that, despite restrictions within the buffer zone, land development has intensified and increased, in the nearest surroundings of the analyzed national park. For the analysis, we selected Ojców National Park (southern Poland), one of the oldest national parks in Poland. We analyzed landscape changes before (since the 1930s) and after establishing the park and its BZ. We conducted a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the landscape structure and LULC. We used historical maps and the contemporary national LULC database. Our results showed that almost 40% of the study area consisted of lands with non-persistent LULC. The main changes include a three-fold increase in built-up areas and an increase in forest cover, mainly on abandoned agricultural land. We also found that land development around the national park is at a level similar to the general rate for the area outside the BZ. It suggests the ineffectiveness of the buffer zone in preventing land development. The identified long-term landscape changes the basis for sustainable development land management from the nature conservation perspective.

The article presents an analysis of one of the oldest and most important forms of nature conservation - National Parks, and their regulation in the legislation of the Republic of Poland. The material is based on the systematic interpretation of the Law of the Republic of Poland «On Nature Conservation», the analysis of scientific literature and the identification of some problematic issues of implementation of the prescriptions of the legislation in practice. Much attention is paid to the theoretical characteristics of National Parks, their place among other forms of nature conservation in Poland, the functions they perform. The issues of creation of the National Park, the regime of management of its territory, organization and zoning of the National Park have been consistently revealed. It also analyzes the bans fixed within the National Park and ensures its protection against external adverse effects. Problematic issues are raised related to the removal of land and real estate from private owners, the achievement of a compromise between private economic interests and public environmental interests. A comparison of the basics of functioning of National Parks in Poland and Ukraine is also partly presented.
 The author focuses on the differences in the legal regime of national nature parks under the legislation of Ukraine and Poland. The Polish legislation does not distinguish as an independent recreational function and does not allocate separate recreational functions within the national park. At the same time, the organization of tourist routes and the provision of conditions for visiting the park is one of the tasks and a significant source of revenue for the national parks of Poland, and the number of visitors many times exceeds their number in the territories of the national parks of Ukraine. In the territory of the national parks of Poland (as in Ukraine) a combination of exclusive state ownership (in Ukraine - the property of the Ukrainian people) and private property is possible. At the same time, as in Ukraine, the most problematic issue is the acquisition of ownership of real estate (including private land) when creating or expanding the territory of national parks.

Recently, noteworthy advancements in geodiversity studies have emerged, due to the capabilities provided by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and increasingly accurate digital data from diverse sources. New methods of geodiversity assessment have been proposed and research on validating aggregated geodiversity ratings has emerged. Thus far, scant consideration has been given to selecting the suitable shape and size for the spatial assessment unit. This conference paper presents the outcomes of a study investigating the impact of the shape and size of primary spatial assessment unit on the final map of geodiversity. Additionally, the reliability of the assessment was evaluated through spatially explicit uncertainty analysis (UA) for three national parks in Poland representing one of three morphogenetically different landscape types: mountains, uplands, and lowlands.The geodiversity assessment was based on global and local spatial multicriteria analysis (Weighted Linear Combination and Local Weighted Linear Combination). As part of the approach, the assessment input data, comprising geodiversity factor ratings and weights, were obtained through crowdsourcing. A GIS-based web application called the geo-questionnaire was used to collect data from Earth science expert volunteers. The study was conducted for three national parks in Poland – Karkonosze National Park (KNP), Roztocze National Park (RNP), and Wolin National Park (WNP). For each of the parks, the averaged ratings from respondents were aggregated across four selected primary assessment units, namely watersheds, geomorphological features, and grids in two dimensions: 100 x 100 m and 1 x 1 km. For each map, uncertainty analysis was conducted to account for the influence of inputs on the variability (uncertainty) of the model output. As a result, four classes were calculated representing categorical outcomes for geodiversity and its uncertainty. The evaluation of the selected primary assessment units refers to the percentage of the study area characterised by the most desirable result - a relative high geodiversity and low uncertainty, in comparison to the class of relative low geodiversity and low uncertainty.Shape and size of the spatial assessment unit can significantly impact the final result of the assessment and, consequently, limit the practical applicability of the resulting maps for managing protected and conserved areas (PCAs). In the case of KNP, the selection of watershed as a basic unit proved to be unfortunate. Due to the transboundary nature of the park and constraints related to obtaining consistent data for the entire Karkonosze massif, delineated watershed boundaries do not accurately reflect reality. The Polish part of the park covers the northern slopes of the Karkonosze Mts., which also influenced the elongated shape of many units. The use of grids as the basic assessment units in geodiversity analysis did not show significant differences in this regard for any type of the studied landscapes. 

The article aims to analyse and compare experiences gained by tourists visiting three national parks in Poland. The authors focused on the following questions: What are people's experiences visiting national parks in Poland? Do the natural assets of the national parks affect visitors' unique experiences, or are environmentally valuable areas not crucial for their experiences? The authors used mixed quantitative (text mining, correspondence analysis) and qualitative (content analysis) methods. The data for analysis were opinions written by TripAdvisor users. Reviews on TripAdvisor indicate that the most important experiences for tourists in the National Parks studied were Nature appreciation and Physical activity. The other groups of experiences reflected in the reviews were: Aesthetic, Connection, Tension and Excitement. This confirms that nature is the most important feature of national parks for tourists, but it also indicates a trend to maintain good health and the desire to regenerate physical strength in areas of natural beauty.