Abstract
Conservation of the environment has become a key factor in tourist development, as is shown by the increase in visitors to natural parks and other places with rich ecosystems. Protected areas have become polarised centers for tourists of very varied characteriztics, not only for those who make them their main destination, but also for those who travel to nearby areas. This situation can be observed in Extremadura, where numerous tourists make the best use of their stay in the main centers of tourist attractions of the region to make local trips and thus get to know the most significant natural areas. These movements are being detected in varied aspects of demand, sometimes with little connection between the main and secondary motivation for the trip. We therefore consider a variable percentage of tourists visiting the main cultural destinations of Extremadura who use part of their stay to get to know protected areas. With the aim of structuring the research, we made a systematic study of tourists who spent the night in the cities of Cáceres and Mérida, which are World Heritage sites. During their stay, they visited prestigious natural places such as Monfragüe National Park, the Villuercas–Ibores–Jara Geopark, the Tajo Internacional Nature Reserve, and the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve. This information was obtained by carrying out surveys, which allowed us to determine the attraction capacity of each protected area by applying a network analysis. The results reflect a heterogeneous type of visitor who travels to the most appreciated areas following guidelines marked by the time of the year, his/her preferences, and the duration of his/her trip.
Highlights
The recreational use of protected natural spaces has been increasingly important in recent decades, as is corroborated by the increased demand for this type of area for relaxation
We can mention the vital role natural areas have begun to play as tourist destinations; this goes far beyond the original concept of creating preserved areas
This tourist use has had a considerable impact, which has been well documented by the specific literature, efficient governance is intended to minimise it
Summary
The recreational use of protected natural spaces has been increasingly important in recent decades, as is corroborated by the increased demand for this type of area for relaxation This results in the shaping of a considerable flow of tourists from large cities [1]. Despite the thematic variety of the pioneering studies of the use of this particular type of space by tourists, there has been a strong trend of marketing these areas, especially during this century In many cases, this occurs under the premise of the need for their sustainable use in line with the course of action initiated some decades previously [9]. Studies which aim to measure the carrying capacity that can be withstood by the area in question stand out [10,11], and at the same time new phenomena linked to the process of naturbanization [12,13] or determining their capacity for attracting people [14] are examined in greater detail
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