National Park Ecotourism Research Articles

Spatiotemporal Variations in Carbon Sources and Sinks in National Park Ecosystem and the Impact of Tourism

The capacity of carbon sinks varies among the different types of ecosystems, and whether national parks, as an important type of nature reserve, have a high carbon sink capacity (CSC) and whether eco-tourism in national parks affects their CSC are the main scientific issues discussed. Using MODIS Net Primary Production (NPP) product data, this study analysed the spatiotemporal variation in carbon sources and sinks (CSSs) in the ecosystem of Huangshan National Park from 2000 to 2020, as well as the impact of tourism on these carbon sources and sinks. The findings indicate that, while the ecosystems of national parks generally have a strong CSC, they may not always function as carbon sinks, and during the study period, Huangshan National Park served as a carbon source for four years. Temporally, the CSSs in the ecosystem of the national park exhibit a cyclical pattern of change with a four-year cycle and strong seasonality, with spring and autumn functioning as carbon sinks, and summer and winter as carbon sources. Spatially, the CSSs of the national park ecosystem exhibited a vertical band spectrum of spatial distribution, and the CSC showed a trend of gradual enhancement from low altitude to high altitude. Tourism is a major factor that has an impact on the CSC of national park ecosystems.

Conservation of Endemic Birds Through the Willingness to Pay Tourists in the Manusela National Park Eco-Tourism Area

Ecotourism management requires a lot of funds, so through ecotourism activities visitors can get involved in supporting the conservation of the area through willingness to pay (WTP). The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and preferences of tourists and the willingness to pay visitors (WTP) in supporting the conservation of typical bird species in MNP. Determination of the sample using accidental sampling technique. The number of samples used was 38 tourists. The characteristics and perceptions of visitors were analyzed using qualitative descriptive, while the willingness to pay of tourists used quantitative analysis. The results showed of the calculation WTP to support the conservation of endemic bird species through the management of birdwatching ecotourism attractions obtained a value of 2,000 000, -. This value indicates that the appropriate price for birdwatching ecotourism services in Masihulan Village for tourists is 2,000,000,-.

Local community perceptions of tourism impact in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park ecotourism area

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (BTSNP) is one of the ecotourism in Indonesia that has been designated by UNESCO as one of the world's biosphere reserve. It is considered to have harmony between ecological and economic aspects. This study aims to analyze local community perceptions of tourism impact at BTSNP ecotourism based on economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts; and analyze the correlations between the impact of and the demographic characteristics of respondents. The data was obtained from Tengger community in Sapikerep Village, Sukapura Subdistrict, Probolinggo Regency using questionnaire and it was analyzed with descriptive statistic and correlation analysis using Kendall's tau-b test. The results of this study show that the residents’ perceived of the impact of tourism is mostly positive (80% agreed) towards three aspects of tourism impacts. Then, it was found that residents who own a business in a tourist area had a positive significant correlation with perception of tourism impact from the economic and socio-cultural dimension. As for other demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, income level, and education level, there is no significant correlation with perceived of tourism impacts. The existence of the BTSNP brings opportunities for local residents to become entrepreneurs. Local residents who own a business more likely to have better perception of tourism impact. The positive impact from the economic and socio-cultural side is enjoyed more by the people who are directly involved in tourism activities.

Ecotourism Development in the Russian Areas under Nature Protection

The subject of this study is the Russian areas where the use of natural resources is restricted, and economic activities must be developed with due regard for the need to protect natural ecosystems from harmful human impacts. Areas under nature protection, particularly national parks, also fall into this category and make an important contribution to nature conservation. They are also the basis for the development of ecotourism, as in other parts of the world. Russia, along with other countries, adheres to a variety of concepts and tools for the development of ecotourism in PAs. In this paper, we examine the essential characteristics and implementation domains of state policy for promoting ecotourism development, using the Zabaikalsky National Park (ZNP) and the Tunkinsky National Park (TNP) as illustrative examples. Both parks are situated in the Lake Baikal basin. In this study, we rely on theoretical and practical approaches, and legislative and regulatory documents on the development of PAs and ecotourism. The analytical framework employed in this study encompasses eight fundamental areas of operation for national parks, specifically regarding the establishment of favorable conditions for ecotourism. Our information sources comprise official state reports, documents, and materials pertaining to the studied parks, as well as data obtained from expedition research, GPS tracks, and photo-sharing websites (social networks). Our findings show that efforts are being made in the parks to create favorable conditions for ecotourism development. These efforts include improving management practices, implementing functional zoning strategies, developing conceptual and design solutions, developing infrastructure, securing funding, engaging local communities, and promoting ecotourism services. Furthermore, our analysis has identified both strengths and weaknesses in the parks’ approaches to ecotourism development (attracting private investment, infrastructure and staffing, monitoring of recreational impact). The TNP, being larger in size and better developed economically, has a more significant social and economic impact on people than the ZNP. The two studied parks demonstrate the implementation of the federal agenda for the development of ecotourism in national parks. It is important to remember that the positive effects of ecotourism initiatives in national parks can take time to materialize and require ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Documenting the parks’ progress toward sustainable ecotourism as an acceptable type of economic activity in PAs can help identify successful strategies and areas for improvement, which contributes to biodiversity conservation and the well-being of local communities.

Multi-Agent Evolutionary Game Strategy for Ecotourism Development in National Parks: A Case Study of Wuyishan National Park

This paper proposes a multi-agent evolutionary game model that can be used to study sustainable ecotourism development in national parks, with a focus placed on coordinating the interests of multiple stakeholders. Based on the limited rationality hypothesis, this study explores the impact of strategic choice evolution and the change of key factors on the stability of the ecotourism development system in national parks. To achieve this, a tripartite evolutionary game model involving “local government–tourism enterprises–tourists” is constructed. The model is applied to Wuyishan National Park as a case study, incorporating actual data and conducting numerical simulation experiments using MATLAB software. The findings of the study are as follows: (1) The optimal stable strategy for the three game players (local government, tourism enterprises, and tourists) is determined to be one that works to “supervise, implement high-level services, and participate in ecotourism”, respectively. This strategy is influenced by factors such as government subsidies, government fines, economic benefits obtained by tourism enterprises at different service levels, and the utilities experienced by participating and non-participating tourists in national park ecotourism. (2) Government subsidy policies can promote the attainment of a stable state for tourism enterprises and tourists. However, excessive subsidies may hinder the fulfillment of local governments’ expectations. (3) The greater the economic benefits obtained by tourism enterprises through high-level services are, the more favorable it will be for tourism enterprises to reach a stable state. However, this may lead to a relatively slower response from the government. (4) The higher the utilities that tourists derive from high-level services in ecotourism are, the faster the game players will reach a stable state. (5) The higher the utilities associated with tourists spending time in other places are, the more challenging it becomes for the three game players to achieve a stable state. This situation may cause tourists to shift from the initial strategy of “participating in ecotourism” to “not participating in ecotourism”. Based on these findings, the paper provides countermeasures and suggestions for promoting the sustainable development of ecotourism in Wuyishan National Park. These recommendations aim to offer decision-making references for enhancing the development of ecotourism in national parks across the country.

DIVERSITY OF PITCHER PLANTS (NEPENTHES SPP.) IN RIAU ARCHIPELAGO PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Nepenthes spp. is a unique carnivorous plant with the modified leaf lamina as a pitcher to trap insects. Nepenthes usually produce lower traps near the base of the plant, and upper pitchers form a loop in the tendril, allowing it to wrap around the nearby plant. Pitcher plants, being insectivorous plants, can grow in nitrogen-deficient soils. In the Riau Archipelago Province, the intense land conversion to establish ecotourism in national parks disturbed the pitcher plant habitat, even though the pitcher plants have great potential as ornamental plants. Therefore, for in situ conservation, the existing endemic flora may benefit tourist attractions to support local ecotourism efforts. Based on the above discussion, the presented study aimed to characterize the pitcher plants’ diversity and analyze the relationship among its species using morphological markers in the islands of Bintan, Karimun, and Lingga, Indonesia. Based on the collection and identified pitcher plants, the study discovered that the genus Nepenthes comprises 25 accessions belonging to six different species, i.e., N. gracilis, N. × trichocarpa, N. reinwardtiana, N. ampullaria, N. rafflesiana, and N. × hookeriana. The cluster analysis grouped two main clusters that have a similarity coefficient of 31%–97% based on morphological characteristics among Bintan, Karimun, and Lingga accessions. However, the cluster constructions were more on the traits’ similarity than locality based. For principal component analysis (PCA), 19 morphological traits can benefit as diagnostic features to distinguish the pitcher groups. The study revealed that pitcher plants have diverse phenotypic plasticity in the Riau Archipelago, which is experiencing land conversion for tourism activities. The pitcher plants diversity has the genetic potential for ornamental plants development and is a biological wealth that requires conservation for research, tourism activities, and future generations.

Sustainable Development of Ecotourism in “Altynemel” National Park, Kazakhstan: Assessment through the Perception of Residents

Protected natural areas of Kazakhstan, particularly national parks, occupy a unique role in developing ecological tourism. One way to ensure biodiversity conservation, environmental preservation, and regional sustainability is through promoting ecotourism in national parks. For the “Altynemel” National Park, ecotourism should be regarded as a priority type of tourism. The article considers the essential technologies and principles of implementation of ecological tourism in the National Park “Altynemel”. Identified and justified the uniqueness of this protected area—the equal value of natural and cultural heritage on its territory. We revealed the problems and constraints of ecotourism development in the national park and offered the ways of their solution. The article is written based on field research materials, methods of a local population survey, interviews, and focus group discussions. In this article, 201 representative families were interviewed using questions on a 5-point Likert scale, including 159 residents of the village of Basshi and 42 residents of the village of Nurym. The results show that the overall assessment of sustainability is mild in the two communities. As a result, we claim that sustainable development in the “Altynemel” National Park is far from perfect. Sustainable development in the “Altynemel” National Park could be better. In particular, tourism development’s positive economic and political impact has yet to be apparent.

Pengembangan Ecotourism Taman Nasional Baluran di Kabupaten Situbondo Melalui Edukasi Masyarakat Lokal

Baluran National Park in Situbondo Regency is very prospective for the development of sustainable tourism that is environmentally friendly and can improve the welfare of local communities. In developing tourism in Baluran National Park there must be community involvement, so the type of tourism that is suitable to be developed is ecotourism. This service aims to increase community participation in the development of Baluran National Park ecotourism through educational outreach and knowing the potential of Baluran National Park. This service activity uses the method of providing educational socialization and a face-to-face approach. The results obtained from this service activity are community enthusiasm in developing ecotourism in Baluran National Park, but it needs to be increased through structured training and community empowerment. The alternative strategy obtained is an ecotourism product development strategy; development of basic and supporting infrastructure and facilities for tourism; tourism market penetration and promotion; security enhancements; as well as institutional and human resource development strategies for tourism. The ecotourism development strategy is a priority strategy to produce ecotourism product development programs and maintain biological natural resources (SDAH).

Stakeholders' evolutionary relationship analysis of China's national park ecotourism development

To mitigate the conflict of economic development and ecological protection, China government initiates its national park plan in recent years. In this stage, addressing the benefit contradictories among stakeholders is of importance. Around this issue, this paper focuses on the one of most keen-edged topics in China, which is how to deal well with the coordination issue among local government, tourism development enterprise and local residents. To disentangle the complexly dynamic relationships among them, a set of mathematical models are built and derived, based on evolutionary game theory. The corresponding results indicate that the intensity of regulation by local governments, the degree of compensation to ecotourism development projects by tourism development enterprises, and the participation degree of local residents to the projects are closely related to ultimate game stabilization; some propositions are gained accordingly, which suggest the bounded conditions to achieve the optimal stabilization. To validate and broaden the results, the relevant numerical simulation and discussion are provided.

The diversity of plant species in the ecotourism zone of Gunung Leuser National Park, Tangkahan, Indonesia

Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) is one of Indonesia's conservation areas, serving as a haven for various plants and animals. The ecotourism zone is a part of the utilization zone in the GLNP area that is intended for the development of ecotourism and has a high diversity of plant species. However, information concerning the potential of plants in the GLNP's ecotourism zone has not been widely disseminated. The present study aims to inventory plant species in Gunung Leuser National Park's ecotourism zone. The exploration method was used in this study, which lasted from November to December 2021. A total of 47 plant species from 30 families were discovered in the study area, with Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae having the most species. These plants have a variety of uses, including food, spices, ornamental plants, and materials for traditional/ritual ceremonies.

Travel risk in the ecotourism industry amid COVID-19 pandemic: ecotourists’ perceptions

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a global turmoil which restricted movement and consequently, diminishing domestic and international travel. One that is severely affected is ecotourism in National Parks, that involves visiting fragile, pristine and undisturbed natural areas. One of the major concerns for ecotourists in destination decision-making is travel risk that could affect their safety. This study aims to examine their risk perception and how it affects the behaviour of ecotourists in Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia. The data was collected from 406 respondents and analysed using structural equation modelling. It is concluded that risk perception affects tourists’ decision-making, whereby health and safety information preference is the strongest predictor, and media’s influence has a very significant connection. This study has the potential of contributing to the management of ecotourism destinations in times of crisis. It also fills the literature gap on risk perceptions of ecotourists’ during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Socio-geographical evaluation of ecosystem services in an ecotourism destination: PGIS application in Tram Chim National Park, Vietnam

Ecotourism in national parks of developing countries is increasingly recognised as a promising option to achieve sustainable development goals, regardless, might imply various paradoxical managerial challenges. This paper, therefore, seeks to contribute a methodological framework utilising ES-based social landscape metrics (SLM) to address the potential barriers in managing ecotourism-integrated multi-functional national parks. We present a mixed-method case study in Vietnam's Tram Chim National Park (TCNP), conducted via semi-structural interviews and PGIS with tourists and locals. Multiple key informants, i.e. TCNP's authorities were also interviewed to provide their managerial insights and assist in verifying the PGIS results obtained from the tourists and locals. Via the quantified and mapped SLMs, the study reveals the differences between tourists and locals in terms of how and where they perceive and appreciate the intangible values of TCNP. Through spatial statistics, we reported important spatial correlations (i) between different categories of Ecosystem Services (ES) and (ii) between ES richness and diversity on different TCNP's land covers. As a contribution to the decision-making outlook, we remarked potential areas to expand of ecotourism activities based on the spatial hot and cold spots. This study concludes by highlighting opportunities for future research in expanding on socio-geographical assessments of ES, especially in the fields of ecotourism.

Comprehensive evaluation and prediction of tourism ecological security in droughty area national parks-a case study of Qilian Mountain of Zhangye section, China.

Tourism activities have brought overexploitation of natural ecotourism resources and ecological pressure challenge though it exactly contributes to the economic prosperity of a region. Research on tourism ecological safety is of great importance for tourist destinations to balance the relationship between environmental protection and tourism development. Qilian Mountains National Park (QMNP) has a prominent ecological status and is a vital ecological barrier in the northwest of China, which attracts large numbers of tourists every year for its rich tourism resources in the Zhangye (ZY) region. However, there is still a lack of systematic research on the environmental impact of tourism activities and on achieving sustainable development of ecotourism in national parks. We took QMNP-ZY as the study object, establishing the system of indicators based on the PSR model for the comprehensive evaluation of tourism ecological safety and the diagnosis of the main obstacles. Moreover, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was introduced to forecast the evolutionary trends of tourism ecological security in QMNP-ZY. The results showed that (1) The tourism ecological security composite values of the QMNP-ZY exhibited a "U"-type evolution of "first fall-then rise" feature, and the pressure layer gradually became the dominant factor. (2) For the main barrier factors, there had been a shift from response factors. (3)The output of the ARIMA model demonstrated that the level of tourism ecological security would rise in a short period and then decline a few years later. Especially, the contribution degree of economic to the tourism eco-security development will weaken with the region's economy growing.

Discussion on the development of ecotourism education in China’s national parks

Ecotourism education is the foundation for the healthy development of national park ecotourism. It guides visitors to standardize their behavior, cultivate tourists’ awareness of environmental protection, and develop the local economy. At the same time, ecotourism education also contributes to regional ecological and economic sustainability. On the basis of summarizing the existing problems of eco-tourism education in China’s national parks at this stage, this paper discusses the ways and methods to solve the problems and provides references for the development of eco-tourism education in China.

Analysis of Ecotourism Development Strategy in Tanjung Puting Province National Park, Central Kalimantan

This study aims to: (a) study and analyze the potential of ecotourism in Tanjung Putting National Park, (b) study and analyze strategies for developing ecotourism in Tanjung Putting National Park, (c) formulate Tanjung Putting National Park ecotourism development strategy. The method of this research is survey and explanation, using primary data and secondary data. Primary data was collected by interview method and filled out questionnaires with 250 respondents selected by purposive sampling. Data analysis tools are SWOT and AHP. The main problem faced in developing ecotourism in Tanjung Putting National Park is the lack of infrastructure and accessibility and guidance to the community about the importance of ecotourism from the Government and Regional Government (Pemda). The results showed that: (a) the potential of Tanjung Puting National Park included a high category seen from the aspect of strength with a value of 3.77 and opportunities with a value of 3.73 (b) Tanjung Puitng National Park ecotourism development strategy was a defensive strategy in quadrant III.
 Keywords: ecotourism; Tanjung Puting National Park; development strategy; SWOT & AHP

Ecotourism in Russian Karelia: Emergence, development, opportunities

This review article examines the development of ecotourism in national parks in the Republic of Karelia over the last 30 years. In Russia, the term “ecotourism” has appeared in newspapers and scholarly articles since the 1990s and its popularity is still increasing. The authorities in the Republic of Karelia have argued that tourism and especially ecotourism have the potential to become a major sector of the Republic’s economy. This article focuses on the meaning of this term internationally, and especially in the context of Russia and Karelia, and considers this definition through the lens of conventional historiography. The key issue of this research is the triangular relationship between ecotourists, local communities and wildlife conservation areas or national parks, where ecotourism functions as a major tool, connecting all these points. This paper applies comparative historical research methods as part of a qualitative approach, analysing a variety of primary sources including archive materials, interviews and forum discussions. The article concludes that the slow growth of ecotourism, despite the attempts of regional authorities and the assistance of the European Union, is due to several reasons including remote locations, poor infrastructure and the lack of symbolic meaning for national parks.

Economic valuation of Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis, ouwens 1912) and its contribution to locally-generated revenue of West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is one of the largest reptiles in the world. Komodo dragons are listed in the Appendix I Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and categorized as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to the limited demographic demarcation and distribution. In achieving sustainable resource utilization, knowledge of the value of natural resources as a whole is required, both tangible and intangible values. Komodo dragon has intangible value in the form of existence value. Therefore, the value of komodo dragon is necessary to know, because it shows the potential of these resources and to be considered in making appropriate management/policy planning for the sustainability of Komodo National Park tourism, as well as the instruments to preserve the species of Varanus komodoensis in their natural habitat. The purposes of this study are to estimate the economic value of Varanus komodoensis, which is the main attraction of Komodo National Park ecotourism, as an instrument of conservation, and to calculate the contribution of Komodo National Park tourism to Locally-Generated Revenue of West Manggarai Regency. Estimation of Varanus komodoensis value was obtained by using Individual Travel Cost Method (TCM). The results of this research is the value of Komodo National Park is Rp 5,995,232,147,515.00. If that value is divided by the average of komodo dragon population from 2012 to 2016 that is 2,841 individuals, then the value of each individual komodo dragon per year is Rp 2,110,254,188.00. Komodo National Park tourism contributed 44% in the retribution of Locally-Generated Revenue and 5% in the Locally-Generated Revenue of West Manggarai Regency.

The Development and Potential Evaluation of Indonesian Lore Lindu National Park Ecotourism in Relation to the Economic Growth of the Surrounding Community

The irresponsible utilization of natural resources in the Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP) could damage the sustainability of the ecosystem. One of the methods of natural resources utilization of LLNP was Ecotourism. Ecotourism was one of the approaches that kept in mind socio-economic aspects. This research used cross-sectional data and data collection was conducted from March until June 2018. The location of this research was the area of LLNP located in the administrative area of Sigi Regency. The research was conducted across eight villages in Sigi Regency; the number of respondents used was 284 households head (HH). Data collection and data analysis employed questionnaires and structural equation modeling (SEM) respectively. The results of this research showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between the utilization of forest products for household industry, the ecology utilization of the rebuttal area, socio-cultural community, and institutional availability with the economic growth of the surrounding community of LLNP. The strongest relationship was between the utilization of ecology in the rebuttal area of LLNP and the economic growth of the surrounding community. The development potential of LLNP ecotourism could be improved by utilizing forest products for household industry, utilizing the ecology of the rebuttal area of LLNP, increasing the socio-cultural relationship of the surrounding community, and enhancing institutional functions.

Living on the edge – The predicted impact of renewed hunting on moose in national parks in Poland

Protected areas are the foundation of biodiversity conservation. However, due to their limited size, unfavourable shape, and isolation they often rarely provide sufficient protection. This problem particularly concerns large mammals, which play the role of key-species and usually have high spatial demands. Since 2001 the moose has been under a hunting ban in Poland after the species experienced a sharp decline due to overharvesting. As there are plans to reopen moose hunting in eastern Poland (excluding national parks and nature reserves), we analysed the potential impact of renewed hunting in areas neighbouring Biebrza and Polesie National Parks (eastern Poland) on moose populations inhabiting these protected areas and investigated the suitability of the existing buffer zones to provide additional protection to moose outside the park boundaries. Analyses were based on the tracking data derived from 33 GPS collared moose (24 – Biebrza NP and 9 – Polesie NP). All of the tracked moose utilized areas both inside and outside national parks. In the Biebrza PN, moose spent 46.9% of their time in areas surrounding the national park, whilst in Polesie NP the proportion was 64.5%. The highest utilization of areas outside both study sites occurred in autumn and winter (October–March), a period that considerably overlaps with the planned hunting season. The southern part of Biebrza NP and its official buffer zone covered 96.2% of all moose fixes, while Polesie NP, its official buffer zone and neighbouring landscape park covered 60.3% of moose records. The buffer zones proposed in this paper, whose widths were calculated on the basis of moose tracking data, would protect from 90.5 (Polesie) to 91.2% (Biebrza) of moose fixes. Proper delineation and adequate management plans in buffer zones would prevent the negative impacts of moose hunting, which has the potential to significantly influence ecotourism in national parks and their vicinity.

Carrying Capacity Model Applied to Coastal Ecotourism of Baluran National Park, Indonesia

The resources of Baluran National Park have been used for marine and coastal ecotourism. The increasing number of visitors has led to the increasing of tourists and its related activities. This condition will cause the degradation of resources and the welfare of local communities. This research aims to determine the sustainability of coastal ecotourism management by calculating the effective number of tourists who can be accepted. The study uses the concept of tourism carrying capacity, consists the ecological environment, economic, social and physical carrying capacity. The results of the combined carrying capacity analysis in Baluran National Park ecotourism shows that the number of 3.288 people per day (151.248 tourists per year) is the maximum number of accepted tourists. The current number of tourist arrivals is only 241 people per day (87.990 tourists per year) which is far below the carrying capacity.