Forest Tourism Research Articles

The use of digital tools in forest tourism and recreation - Experiences from Warsaw agglomeration in Poland

Tourism and recreation in forest areas around large urban agglomerations are becoming increasingly important and pose major management challenges in terms of sustainability, environmental impact and balancing the needs of visitors with conservation efforts. Digital tools are critical to the planning and management of suburban forests as they improve data collection, enable efficient resource allocation and enhance the visitor experience through better navigation and information dissemination. The aim of our work was to find out whether people visiting urban and suburban forests in Warsaw consciously plan their visits to forest areas, what ICT tools they use during and after a forest visit, and whether they share their experiences related to forest recreation on social media after the visit. The research focused on urban and suburban forests in the Warsaw metropolitan area, Poland. Data on visitors’ characteristics, recreation habits and digital skills were collected in an online panel survey in November 2023 (n = 1413). The results showed that respondents most frequently visited forest areas around Warsaw 2–3 times a month and several times a year. The vast majority of respondents planned their visits directly on the day of the trip (34.96 %) and used their own knowledge and experience when planning their trip to the forest. More than half of respondents (69 %) stated that they use various types of digital tools when visiting forest areas, most commonly smartphones with GPS functionality. Most respondents stated that they had advanced (43.38 %) or at least advanced (32.06 %) knowledge of using digital tools. 39.49 % of respondents stated that they do not use the internet to share information about their forest visits. The research results presented in the sentence indicate the complexity of using digital tools in the management of outdoor recreation and tourism. On the one hand, our research clearly shows that digital tools are an integral part of modern outdoor recreation and tourism management and provide valuable insights, on the other hand, most respondents planned their visits directly on the day of departure, relying mainly on their own knowledge and experience, rather than on digital tools. This knowledge can be used to develop forest management strategies, environmental education, monitoring tourist flows and promoting responsible recreation worldwide. Further research is needed to analyse the use of digital tools in digital forest recreation.

Strengthening the Tourism Village Program: Educational Tourism on Waste Bank and Clean and Healthy Living Behavior

Sawahan Village, Watulimo Subdistrict, Trenggalek Regency, is one of the tourist village areas developed by the local community. Several tourism programs have been established by the local tourism awareness groups, including durian forest tourism. In 2023, a chlorine diffuser technology was implemented to support the development of the tourist village, ensuring access to clean water. This appropriate technology is not only designed to produce clean water but also serves as a strategy to meet the requirements of Clean and Healthy Behavior (CHB). In 2024, community service has focused more on waste management through a waste bank. The methods employed include Focus Group Discussions (FGD) on educational tourism through waste banks, education on the separation of organic and inorganic waste, and community assistance with Clean and Healthy Behavior (CHB). The activities conducted resulted in increased community knowledge about waste banks, from 10 people (10%) to 48 people (96%). Not only did the community's knowledge improve, but their behavior also changed, with the creation of separate waste containers for organic and inorganic waste increasing from 3 people (6%) to 38 people (76%). Additionally, the community's behavior regarding clean and healthy living improved, with handwashing facilities available in every home and throughout the tourist area, reaching 50 people (100%). These changes in knowledge and behavior indicate that community service activities can only succeed with the community's willingness and ability to achieve sustainability and self-sufficiency.

A Skill Building Social Media About Forest Tourism

A Skill Building Social Media About Forest Tourism

Time-Varying Evolution and Impact Analysis of Forest Tourism Carbon Emissions and Forest Park Carbon Sinks in China

Forests are an important part of natural resources and play an important role in carbon sinks. We measured carbon sinks in provincial forest parks using data from four forest inventory surveys in China and the forest stock expansion method. Carbon emissions from forest tourism were also estimated using energy statistics and forest park tourism data. On this basis, spatial analysis was used to summarize the spatial and temporal evolution of the carbon balance and the analysis of influencing factors. The results show the following: (1) With the passage of time, the carbon emissions from forest tourism in all provinces have increased to different degrees, and the national forest tourism carbon emissions have increased from 1,071,390.231 (million tons) in 2003 to 286,255,829.7 (million tons) in 2018; spatially, the distribution of carbon emissions from forest tourism is uneven, with an overall high in the south and low in the north, and a high in the east and a low in the west. (2) The carbon sink of forest parks showed a trend of gradual growth and spatially formed a spatial pattern of high in the northeast and low in the southwest, which is consistent with the distribution of forest resources in China. (3) For forest tourism carbon emissions, the total number of tourists, tourism income, and playing roads are significant influencing factors, and the baseline regression coefficients are 0.595, 0.433, and 0.799, respectively, while for forest park carbon sinks, the number of forest park employees can play a certain positive role in carbon sinks, with the regression coefficient being 1.533.

View Preferences and Tourism Attraction Resources at Mangrove Guraping Tourism Objects, North Oba District, Tidore City, North Maluku Province

Mangrove forest tourism is a form of tourism activity by traveling around the mangrove forest area and enjoying all the uniqueness contained in it. The choice of a tourist location as a tourist destination is greatly influenced by tourist preferences and ecotourism resources are closely related to attractiveness. Elements of attraction include natural beauty, the abundance of prominent resources, the uniqueness of natural resources, the integrity of natural resources, the choice of recreational activities, and the diversity of natural resources. The aims of this research are: determining tourist view preferences and determining tourist attraction resources at the Guraping mangrove ecotourism object, North Oba District, Tidore Islands City. The data collection process includes field observations, distributing questionnaires, interviews, tourist view preferences and potential tourism resources. The research results showed that the preference for tourist views of the Guraping mangrove tourist attraction was that the mangrove forest landscape obtained the highest SBE value, while the village landscape obtained the lowest SBE value. Potential ecotourism attraction resources that can be developed include mangrove forests with fauna/diversity, bays and beaches, fish ponds and villages with social culture.

Conflict Management of Hot Spring Forest Tourism Objects in Pendalian IV Koto District, Rokan Hulu Regency

Nowadays, social conflicts in society are increasingly varied and take many forms, even tending to shift and develop into long-standing acts of violence that we can even feel directly. The increase in forest utilization as an industrial sector has triggered conflicts related to licensing, violation of regulations, and illegal exploitation of forest areas by communities. The complexity of problems arising from the forest utilization process is also caused by the inconsistency of policy makers, especially local governments that act as the authority that issues forest area management permits This research was conducted in hot spring forest tourism in Pendalian IV Koto sub-district, Rokan Hulu Regency. The purpose of this study is to determine the Conflict Management of Tourism Objects in Hot Water Village, Pendalian IV Koto District, Rokan Hulu Regency and to determine the inhibiting factors in solving Conflict Management of Tourism Objects in Pendalian IV Koto District, Rokan Hulu Regency. The method used in this study is qualitative descriptive. Data collection is carried out using observation, interviews and documentation.Data analysis using the Moles and Huberman model is data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions / verification. The results of this study show collaboration, accommodation, dominance, avoidance and compromise in resolving conflict management in hot spring forest tourism in Pendalian IV Koto sub-district, Rokan Hulu Regency.

Evaluation of The Rahong Pangalengan Pine Forest Tourism Area

Natural tourism areas have an important role in preserving nature and encouraging local economic growth. However, uncontrolled tourism growth often causes environmental problems. Therefore, evaluating the sustainability of tourist area development is very important to ensure long-term natural sustainability, by paying attention to aspects of attractions, amenities and accessibility (3A). This research aims to evaluate the condition of the Rahong Pine Forest tourist area to support sustainable development of the area in the future. The approach used is an interdisciplinary approach that combines ecological, social and economic analysis in regional development. The research results show that the Rahong Pine Forest Tourism Area is included in the very high category. This shows that this area has great potential for natural tourism, but there are still challenges in maintaining a balance between tourism development and environmental conservation. From the research results, there are several recommendations to increase the sustainability of the development of the Rahong Pangalengan Pine Forest tourist area in the future. First, provide clear directions to the area to facilitate accessibility for tourists. Second, provide adequate transportation to the area. Third, improve road infrastructure in tourist areas to ensure comfort and safety. With these steps, it is hoped that the development of the Rahong Pine Forest tourist area can be carried out in a sustainable manner, providing economic benefits for local communities, while preserving the natural environment which is the main attraction of this area.

Can Environmental Improvement Promote the Development of Forest Tourism? An Empirical Study Based on Chinese National Forest Parks

Can Environmental Improvement Promote the Development of Forest Tourism? An Empirical Study Based on Chinese National Forest Parks

Legal Safeguards for Tourists as Consumers: An Analysis of Accident Incidences at Tourist Sites

Accidents at tourist sites significantly harm tourists who are also consumers. This study aims to investigate both preventive and repressive forms of legal protection for tourists, especially in cases of accidents at tourist destinations. The research employs a qualitative methodology with a normative research design, focusing on statutory regulations and legal concepts. The findings indicate that preventive legal protection is lacking due to inadequate implementation of consumer protection and tourism laws, resulting in incidents with casualties, such as the one at The Geong Limpakuwus Pine Forest Tourism in Sumbang, Banyumas. Repressive legal protection is also insufficient, as the accountability of tourist sites in providing insurance to victims has not been fulfilled. Consequently, the legal protection for tourists as consumers in accident scenarios is not effectively provided.

Forest lookout tower visitor data in the Covid epidemic periods: what the numbers tell

The Covid epidemic between the spring of 2020 and the summer of 2021 showed that there is an increasing demand for various forms of forest-related tourism. Number of visitors in forests broke records in certain places: 32 million visitor days were registered in 2020 in Pilisi Parkerdő Ltd. alone. In this article we present data originated from the automatic visitor counters placed on certain forest lookout towers. Processing the data, we can get an insight of the number and distribution of hikers in each period. As a result of the research, forest managers can learn more about the popular tourist destination, furthermore, knowledge is gained about the motivations and needs of forest tourism participants. Based on this, public welfare investments that meet real demands can be planned in a cost-effective manner. Ideally, the results achieved can bring satisfaction to all actors involved in forest tourism. On the demand (visitor) side, targeted and needs-tailored developments increase the experience factor of the time spent in the forest. On the supply (forestry) side, knowing the motivations makes the performance of public welfare tasks more efficient, which ultimately contributes to the improvement of the sector's image.

Diversity of orchid types in the Oeluan Tourism Forest, Bijeli Village, Noemuti District, North Central Timor Regency

Indonesia as a mega biodiversity country has a variety of fauna and flora. One of the floras that is often found in Indonesia is orchids. Orchids have high economic value and are able to balance the ecosystem in their habitat. This study was aimed at determining the diversity of orchid species in the Oeluan tourism forest. The current study employed a quantitative descriptive study by using the transect and the purposive sampling method. The research was conducted in February at the Oeluan Tourism Forest. The results of this study indicated that there were four terrestrial orchid genera and three epiphytic orchid genera. The analysis of the diversity index of orchid species in the Oeluan tourism forest resulted in the diversity index of (H’) 1.0438 in the medium category. The measured environmental factors at the study site were an average soil pH of 7, an average humidity of 76.33% and an average air temperature of 27.400C. The diversity of orchid species in the Oeluan tourism forest, bijeli village, Noemuti district, North Central Timor regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, was included in the medium category.

Exploring the impact of seasonal forest landscapes on tourist emotions using Machine learning

This study investigates the emotional changes of tourists experiencing natural forest landscapes in different seasons, which plays a crucial role in the sustainable development of forest landscape systems and forest tourism. However, existing research has limited focus on the temporal impact of detailed elements of forest landscapes on tourists' emotions. We integrated a research framework utilizing methods such as Object Semantic Attention Network (OSANet), High-Resolution Net (Hrnet), EXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), thereby uncovering the nonlinear impact of detailed forest landscape indicators on tourist emotions. The results revealed(1) In the past three years, the emotional score assessments of tourists' experiences in natural forest landscapes showed a prevalence of positive emotions at 85.7%, with negative emotions constituting 14.3%. The emotional distribution characteristics varied significantly across seasons, with kernel density peak values of 4.16 in spring, 2.43 in summer, 5.33 in autumn, and 1.74 in winter. (2) The landscape indicators with the most significant impact on emotions across different seasons were Openness in spring, summer, and autumn (with contribution values exceeding 0.16, 0.13, and 0.175, respectively) and Ground exposure in winter (with a contribution value greater than 0.2). The SHAP waterfall charts indicated that the indicators providing a stable positive effect varied by seasonTrees in spring (0.361), Openness in summer and autumn (0.276 and 0.24, respectively), and Mountains in winter (0.145). This study provides a data foundation for the sustainable development of forest landscapes and tourism, aiding planners and managers in understanding the nonlinear impact of detailed elements of forest natural landscapes on tourists' emotions across different seasons. It also broadens the methodologies and perspectives for researching seasonal forest landscape preferences.

Community’s perception of buren site conservation in Upper Barito, Kalimantan, Indonesia

PurposeThis paper aims to describe and analyse the community’s perceptions of buren sites and how they maintain their value. Buren is a term used by locals to refer to the location of former iron ore smelting in the past. Archaeological findings at smelting sites are slags, ore fragments, tuyeres and smelting furnaces. These sites urgently need to be conserved because the expansion of oil palm plantations and coal mines is ongoing. Buren sites are on community and customary land, so site conservation and development must consider community perception.Design/methodology/approachThe primary data were gathered through interviews, group discussions and observation. A literature review of previous research results obtained secondary data. Interviews and group discussions were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim as qualitative coding. Thematic content analysis was performed using the concepts of the community’s perception and heritage values.FindingsThe community initially did not care about the buren. Today, they believe the buren as ancestral heritage has historical and educational value. The community hopes the buren can be preserved and developed to reinforce identity and pride as Dayak people and may improve community welfare.Research limitations/implicationsPreserving and developing buren sites necessitate serious planning involving multiple stakeholders, as well as incorporating buren sites into development plans and regional socioeconomic growth. Future research should focus on strategies for preserving and developing buren sites.Practical implicationsResearch results are used to teach students about the history and technology of metal making, instilling a sense of patriotism, strength and pride in Dayak’s identity.Social implicationsThe research has an impact on attitudes and behaviour of the locals. Previously, locals did not care about the buren tend to be afraid to enter it because they believed that buren was a guarded spirit. Now, the community has become concerned, participating in preserving the buren site as providing temporary roofs and making signboards and roads to the site. The community with support from regional officials expects to conserve and utilise the buren site as a tourist destination, combining river tours and forest tourism to create economic opportunities for local tour guides, parking services and boat providers.Originality/valueThe authenticity of this research is the sites are archaeologically valuable and are threatened by the expansion of oil palm plantations and coal mining. This is also the first study of an iron industrial site in Indonesia that addresses this problem and uses this method.

Pengaruh Daya Tarik Wisata, Media Sosial Dan Nilai Terhadap Minat Berkunjung Ke Desa Wisata Hutan Mangrove Kulon Progo Yogyakarta

This research aims to determine the partial and simultaneous influence of tourist attractions, social media and values on tourists' interest in visiting the Kulon Progo Mangrove Forest Tourism Village. This research uses a quantitative type of research. The population in this study was the penjung mangrove forest tourism village of Kulon Progo. The sample in the study was 249 respondents. The sampling technique was taken using purposive sampling, a sample determination method based on the researcher's considerations which was then processed using SPSS. The data collection technique in this research uses a questionnaire. The instrument testing technique in this research uses validity and reliability. And the data analysis technique in this research uses classical assumptions, multiple linear regression, coefficient of determination and hypothesis testing. The results of this research are as follows. Partially, tourist attraction has a significant effect on tourists' interest in visiting the Kulon Progo tourist village, marked by a t-value of 4.984 which is greater than the t-table of 1.97.

Fiery trails: tourism's forest fire dance

ABSTRACT Tourism drives global economic growth and cultural exchange, but also raises climate vulnerability and forest fire concerns. This study explores the relationship between tourism and forest fires in emerging and advanced economies, aligned with UN's SDGs. Using ARDL model, findings show that a 1% increase in tourism development leads to 1% & 0.575% surge in forest fires in advanced and emerging economies respectively. In the short run, tourism leads to a decrease in forest fires in emerging economies, while in long-run risks increases for both panels of economies. This emphasises the need for eco-friendly practices for sustainable tourism. Governments should prioritise eco-tourism, green infrastructure, and SDG-13, SDG-9, SDG-11 for climate action, tech and sustainable transport.

Balancing Forest Tourism and Environmental Protection

In light of escalating global environmental issues, balancing forest tourism development with effective environmental protection has become a critical academic and practical concern. This study investigates the equilibrium mechanisms between forest tourism and environmental protection, focusing on policy regulation, community involvement, and ecological compensation under globalization. Employing a literature review and theoretical analysis, the study systematically reviews relevant research and introduces a new theoretical framework to elucidate the interaction between tourism development and environmental sustainability. The research identifies the negative impacts of forest tourism on the environment and the shortcomings of current development models. It then explores sustainable principles to optimize forest tourism planning and management, aiming to promote economic growth while protecting forest ecosystems. Results indicate that achieving this balance requires sound planning, policy support, and heightened public environmental awareness and participation. The study ultimately proposes a theoretical model for "eco-friendly" forest tourism, offering insights for future policy and management practices.

The role of eco-attraction in the intention to conduct low-carbon actions: a study of visitor behavior in urban forests

The role of eco-attraction in the intention to conduct low-carbon actions: a study of visitor behavior in urban forests

Spatiotemporal response of ecosystem services to tourism activities in urban forests

Tourism in urban forests is rapidly becoming an increasing trend; however, rather few studies have used quantitative measurement to describe the relationship between tourism intensity and ecological functions. This study provides a practical framework that integrates ecosystem service value (ESV) assessment, Internet big data mining and spatial regression analysis to identify the spatial response of ESV and land use/land cover change to tourism activities from 2009 to 2019 in the Siming Mountain Region (SMR), a famous tourist resort located in the eastern coastal China. Results showed that between 2009 and 2019 total ESV increased by 7.1%. Nevertheless, there have been drastic transitions in land use types with function adjustments from traditional agricultural production to diversified tourism-oriented services. Significant spatial autocorrelation was identified for the patterns of ESV changes. GWR further highlighted that the relationship between ESV change and rural tourism indicators varied in space. ESV change in the core zone was negatively correlated with changes in catering service spots and recreational venues, whereas it was positively correlated with local lodgings. Ultimately, targeted recommendations and countermeasures for spatial planning and sustainable tourism development of urban forests under new circumstances were discussed.

Planning of rational use of forest resources in Ukraine based on the improvement of ecosystem services

The study of land conservation methods for forest conservation and restoration is important and relevant from the standpoint of balanced use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation. The purpose of the study was to investigate effective strategies for the exploitation of land with self-forested areas to meet the needs of the agricultural sector of the Zolochiv District of the Lviv Oblast. In the course of the study, the following methods were used: analysis; geographical method; statistical method; cartographic method; geoinformation method. It is worth noting that for the land plot No. 1 within the Buska territorial community of Lviv Oblast, it was recommended to conserve the land, with its subsequent renaturalisation. According to the results of the analysis, it is shown that in 2011 the processes of independent afforestation of agricultural land within the Busk territorial community were insignificant. In 2023, the situation improved, as the area of afforded land increased significantly. To the soils of the land plot No. 2, which was part of the Brody urban community, it was advisable to use conservation and transformation. In the Zolochiv community, 14.2 hectares of land should be rehabilitated, 27.3 hectares should be transformed into pasture, and 3.5 hectares should be alkalised. The paper suggests the introduction of innovative approaches for integrated planning of the use of forest resources: creation of forest farms, development of forest tourism, creation of special forest stands for air filtration, application of bio-refining technology, etc. The findings can be used by local communities to develop and implement a draft of measures for the comprehensive development plan of the territory of the Lviv Oblast to improve forest ecosystem services

STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN EKOWISATA SEBAGAI UPAYA PENINGKATAN PENDAPATAN PELAKU UMKM DI WISATA HUTAN BAMBU MATADOR, BEKASI

In 2021, Jatirangga Village was designated as one of 125 creative villages assisted by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenparekraf RI). The newest concept, Jatirangga Village plans to develop tourism potential in the area, one of which is the matador bamboo forest. The aim of this research is to identify, analyze and formulate an ecotourism development strategy that can increase the income of MSMEs in the Matador Bekasi bamboo forest tourism. The research method was carried out using a qualitative descriptive approach. Data collection was carried out by triangulation, observation, documentation and interviews with tourist attraction managers, MSMEs and tourists. The presence of the Matador Bamboo Forest tourist attraction increases income for MSMEs, although it has not significantly improved the community's economy because the number of visitors is not large. Promotional facilities are lacking and strategies for developing the Matador Bamboo Forest tourist attraction have not been running optimally, which has had an impact on the number of visitors who come. Suggestions that researchers can give for future development include: Tourist attraction managers increasing promotion through social media, local government communities, tourist attraction managers carrying out environmental arrangements and revitalizing facilities and infrastructure to increase interest in visiting Matador bamboo forest tourism, tourist attraction managers and MSMEs receive training and assistance so that the existence of the Matador bamboo forest ecotourism has a significant impact on improving the economy for the surrounding community.
 
 Key words: Strategy, Bamboo Forest Ecotourism, MSMEs, Increasing Income