Nature-based Tourism Activities Research Articles

Analysing preference heterogeneity and willingness to pay for nature-based tourism activities in Gran Canaria for young Germans

ABSTRACT This paper examines the heterogeneity in preferences and willingness to pay for various nature-based tourism activities that can be carried out in natural areas on Gran Canaria Island (Spain). A discrete choice experiment is designed to obtain information about potential visitors’ preferences in a set of hypothetical scenarios involving various activity packages created by combining the levels of the attributes according to an efficient design. Collected information is used to estimate a Mixed Logit model which will allow us to evaluate random and systematic heterogeneity in preferences. A key finding of the research emanates from obtaining individual-specific parameters to calculate not only the willingness to pay for the various activities but also the amount that could guide a potential compensation when undesired activities are included in the package. Results provide interesting managerial tools that can be used by tourism entrepreneurs to promote nature-based tourism products in the area.

First scenic assessment of the Coiba National Park’s beaches (Panama)

Coiba National Park (PNC) is one of the most important marine protected areas in the Americas, as an essential part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor. As a marine protected area, its main objective is biodiversity conservation, although nature-based tourism and nautical activities are allowed. This research focused on the application of the Coastal Scenery Evaluation System (CSES) method along the entire PNC coastline. Based on two field visits, covering more than 200 km of coastline, 42 beaches were identified and evaluated, the vast majority in highly natural conditions. Similarly, five beaches were analyzed for biological data associated with the diversity of coastal fauna, as a preliminary inventory. The result of the CSES fuzzy logic calculation classified 64% of the beaches in the two highest scenery grades, with only 3 beaches in class IV, and none in class V. Regarding the biological data, macroinvertebrates were mostly represented by 13 mollusks, 1 echinoderm and 1 crustacean. In addition to scientific results, the research identified those beaches with the potential to be certified as coastal scenery of heritage value. In conclusion, this evaluation will help guide nature-based tourism actions within the PNC, and will serve as a baseline for future monitoring of the impact that tourism activity may have on beach fauna and natural attributes.

Climbing through Climate Change in the Canadian Rockies: Guides’ Experiences of Route Transformation on Mt. Athabasca

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides’ lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides’ experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally.

Gaining insight from the most challenging expedition: climate change from the perspective of Canadian mountain guides

ABSTRACT Nature based tourism (NBT) is becoming increasingly popular, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic as people began to sought outdoor activities. Accompanying the projected rise in NBT demand in a post COVID-19 era are increasing challenges associated with climate change, particularly in mountain regions. However, there is limited local knowledge documented to date from those who are intricately involved in mountain NBT activities and have experienced the impacts of climate change first hand. Using an online survey (n = 169), this research is the first to present the intimate knowledge of mountain guides in Canada, offering novel insight into climate change risks and opportunities for NBT in mountain regions, including strategies to contend with risk and adaptation. From this survey, 99% of guides indicated that they have experienced change in the mountain environment throughout the course of their career and due to the adaptive nature of guides, many have already implemented strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change. While findings presented in this paper offer practical knowledge to plan for a future threatened with rapid climatic change, further research is required to explore effectiveness of adaptation strategies, scope of adaptive capacity, changes in natural infrastructure, and guides’ roles as educators.

EXAMINING TREKKERS’ ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BEHAVIOR USING AN EXTENDED MODEL OF GOAL-DIRECTED BEHAVIOR (MGB) AND A NEW ECOLOGICAL PARADIGM SCALE (NEP)

Tourism has a substantial environmental impact, and nature-based tourism is particularly vulnerable to tourists’ activities. Individuals must be aware of the consequential ecological effects during nature-based tourism activities such as trekking. Trekking is a widespread nature-based tourism activity in fragile mountainous and hilly regions. The trekkers’ activities extensively affect the conservation of vegetation along the trail. Therefore, it is essential to study trekkers’ attitudes, intentions, and behavior towards the environment. The objective of this study is to investigate the pro-environmental behaviors of trekkers. The goal-directed behavior (MGB) model framework and a new ecological paradigm scale (NEP) were integrated to examine trekkers’ environmental decision-making process. The new ecological paradigm (NEP) scale measured trekkers’ environmental concerns, whereas the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB) explored environmentally friendly trekking intentions. The extended model analyzed 310 responses from trekkers who had trekking experience in Nepal. Statistical analyses, such as confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive analysis, reliability, and validity test, were performed with SPSS 24.0. Furthermore, structural equation modeling was conducted using AMOS 22.0 to test the significance of the developed hypotheses. This study revealed that trekkers are concerned about the environment and are aware of the earth’s resource limitations. Moreover, the significant role of emotion in the decision-making process was identified. The perceived behavioral control influenced both the desire and intention of environmentally friendly trekking. Additionally, desire significantly influenced the intention to perform environmentally friendly activities. However, the trekker’s attitude and subjective norms did not correlate substantially with desire. The obtained results indicate that the proposed extended model helps to understand the environmental behavior of trekkers. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are also discussed.

Conservation Hub: The Added Value of the Whale-Watching Industry

Nature-based tourism activities are often sold as ‘ecotourism’, yet not all are educational, environmentally friendly, provide economic benefits to local communities, nor help achieve conservation goals. Whale-watching has the potential for ecotourism due to opportunities for supporting cetacean research, environmental education, and community engagement. Whalesafari, the first whale-watching company in the Arctic, is based in Norway and combines whale-watching with research, interpretation, and benefits for the local community. Researchers from around the world have carried out research on several aspects of sperm whales (the main target species), from abundance to diving behaviour, as well as other species. Tourists learn about cetaceans during a guided experience in the company’s museum before the trip. This whale-watching model has attracted over 350,000 tourists over the years, benefiting the local community (e.g., hotels, restaurants, other attractions). Tourism and whale research can establish synergistic relationships, involving several agents and promoting research careers, while at the same time leading to innovative advances in the ecology and tourism fields. Here, we summarise over 30 years of whale-watching eco-tourism activities and research in Northern Norway, highlighting synergistic examples and the opportunities opened through linking marine tourism and research.

Assessing recreation specialization to guide nature-based tourism development: A hybrid choice model of birder destination preferences

Birding is a growing nature-based tourism activity, and a better understanding of birder preferences could support tourism development and species conservation. Using a hybrid choice modeling approach, we analyzed birding destination preferences and how they vary by recreation specialization. This approach allows a continuum of specialization rather than allocating birders into discrete segments. A sample of 205 birders recruited in the 2017 summer season in Varanger, Norway, completed an online choice experiment with scenarios that included five systematically-varied destination attributes: Birding quality, bird diversity, landscape scenic quality, facilitation (e.g., trails and specialized guides), and a visitor fee. The hybrid choice (HC) model explained preference heterogeneity better than the attributes only multinomial logit (MNL) or random parameters logit (RPL) models. Birding quality, landscape scenery, and a medium level of facilitation were significant predictors in all models, while high bird diversity was significant only in the RPL and HC models. Interaction terms in the HC model indicated that birding quality, bird diversity, and the highest level of facilitation (specialized guides and birding hides) were more important for “more specialized” birders than for “less specialized” birders. Findings allow destinations to target birder segments more deliberately, while also assisting in planning and management decisions. Main drivers of birder destination choice are innate in the natural landscapes and ecosystems; exceptional birding quality and spectacular scenery were the strongest determinants of birding destination choice in our study. More specialized birders place higher priority on bird diversity, and birding facilitation. Less specialized birders might need a larger variety of facilitation and non-birding offers. Our results also indicate that those visiting spectacular but vulnerable nature destinations are willing to pay moderate fees for conservation and management. Fee revenue can fund site hardening facilities and services, allowing for more visitors without increasing pressure on the wildlife.

Four ecotourism archetypes: expressing symbolic desires

ABSTRACT Most ecotourism research focuses on logical, expressed desires, while deeper meanings (or symbolic desires), are less well understood, perhaps because elicitation is difficult. Consequently, prior research is relatively limited on the deeper motivations driving ecotourism behaviour. To address that lack, an ethnographic study of nature-based tourism activities in Malaysia and a symbolic interactionist approach is taken to unpack hedonic meaning-making. The data gave rise to four ecotourist archetypes: The champion, the adherent, the acolyte, and the spa-goer, for ecotourists seeking trial, spiritual, learning and purification benefits, respectively. The study provides both greater insight into how to use ethnographic research to elicit symbolic desires in ecotourism, and practitioner support for the design and delivery of more fulfilling nature-based tourism experiences. The archetypes can be viewed as a symbolic benefits-based market segmentation schema, forming the basis for developing more effective targeting, positioning, branding and value propositions for nature-based tourism activities.

Willingness to pay for mangrove restoration to reduce the climate change impacts on ecotourism in Rekawa coastal wetland, Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT This study investigates tourist preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for restoration of mangroves to reduce the effects of climate change (CC) on ecotourism at Rekawa coastal wetland, Sri Lanka, using a double bounded discrete choice elicitation format in a contingent valuation method. The survey also included socio-economic, demographic, and attitudinal characteristics of respondents. The results reveal that domestic and foreign tourists on average were willing to pay 2.65 USD and 11.4 USD per person, respectively, for mangrove restoration in Rekawa wetland. Among socio-demographic variables, education, age, and occupation had a significant effect on WTP. Furthermore, we show that foreign respondents with greater trust in the role of mangroves in mitigating the impacts of CC on sea turtles, and domestic tourists who believed effects of mangrove restoration in reducing the future vulnerability of urban expansion, were willing to pay more for the proposed mangrove restoration fund. Based on tourists’ preferences and WTP for mangrove protection, our results support the establishment of an environmental protection fund from the collection of tourists’ entrance fees using a dual pricing strategy, and the use of the funds for planting mangroves, patrolling mangrove areas to prevent illegal activities, and promoting nature-based tourism activities.

Climate Change and Possible Impacts on Travel and Tourism Sector

Nepal is a diverse country with lowlands of Terai to the highest mountains attracting many tourists and visitors to make visits. So, the tourism in Nepal is primarily nature-based as tourists are mostly attracted by the spectacular landscapes, majestic mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers and biodiversity across its diverse ecological gradient. Mountaineering, trekking, whitewater rafting and jungle safari tours are the main forms of nature-based tourism activities in our country. Climate change is affecting Nepal in a number of ways and the travel and tourism sector cannot remain untouched. Various studies on climate change shows increased weather uncertainties and extremities resulting into long dry period and intense rain during monsoon leading to increased water induced disasters like floods, inundation, landslides, cloudburst floods, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) which are projected to continue in future as well. This has affected natural landscapes, and Himalayas influencing every walk of life and livelihood options. Though the impacts of climate change can be observed in the whole world, poor country like Nepal is likely to suffer most due to limited resources to cope with and adapt to the effects of climate change. In this paper, an effort has been made to review the impact of climate change on the travel and tourism sector in Nepal through the study of previous literatures on climate changes.

Rainforest tourism: a systematic review of established knowledge and gaps in research

ABSTRACT Rainforests provide exceptional spaces for nature-based tourism activities attracting large numbers of visitors. Simultaneously, tourism activities may create environmental, social and economic impacts that require management in order to conserve sensitive rainforest environments. Rainforest tourism constitutes a travel sector that receives growing interest worldwide. This study presents a timely review of current knowledge and research gaps in a new conceptual model to give recommendations for a future research agenda. Through a systematic quantitative review, the study identified 48 peer-reviewed journal articles addressing conservation and management topics (33), followed by visitor-related research (23), impacts (10), and finally community and stakeholder research (3) of rainforest tourism, published between 1975 and 2019. The majority of research focused on management issues relating to policy development, planning, education and conservation measures. A strong geographic bias was noted with very limited research available for rainforest regions in Africa and Asia. Future research should be concerned with expanding and linking rainforest research across countries, and filling knowledge gaps around visitor monitoring, specific impacts and causes, and the complexity of community and stakeholder involvement in managing impacts. Protocols may need to be established to facilitate the design and delivery of standardised research approaches across the globe.

Comparison between millennials’ and providers’ perceptions of technology use in a nature-based tourism context

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study examined millennials’ and nature-based tourism providers’ perceptions of the use of technology in a nature-based tourism context. The data were collected through surveys and focus groups of millennials and nature-based tourism providers. Survey findings revealed that millennials perceived a number of technologies more negatively than providers, challenging common stereotypes. Focus group responses further demonstrated providers’ assumptions regarding millennials’ dependence on technology as well as millennials’ conflicting needs to escape from ordinary technology use during nature-based tourism activities while remaining connected to essential technology services. The implications of catering to millennials’ nature-based tourism needs are discussed.

Barómetro OMT del Turismo Mundial y anexo estadístico, Enero 2021

Tourism suffers its deepest crisis with a drop of 74% in 2020 in international arrivals Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020 following an unprecedented health, social and economic emergency amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) plunged by 74% in 2020 over the previous year due to widespread travel restrictions and a massive drop in demand. The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, about 300 million less than in the previous year. The Middle East and Africa both recorded a 75% drop in arrivals. In Europe arrivals declined by 70%, representing over 500 million fewer international tourists, while the Americas saw a drop of 69%. The latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey shows a mixed outlook for 2021. Almost half of respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect a similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results. The overall prospects for a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020. The remaining half of respondents still see a potential rebound in 2021, though below the expectations shown in the October 2020 survey (79% expected a recovery in 2021). Experts foresee growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest. Looking further ahead, most experts do not to see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take between two-and-a-half and four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels. The gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to ease travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.

Baromètre OMT du tourisme mondial et annexe statistique, Janvier 2021

Tourism suffers its deepest crisis with a drop of 74% in 2020 in international arrivals Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020 following an unprecedented health, social and economic emergency amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) plunged by 74% in 2020 over the previous year due to widespread travel restrictions and a massive drop in demand. The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, about 300 million less than in the previous year. The Middle East and Africa both recorded a 75% drop in arrivals. In Europe arrivals declined by 70%, representing over 500 million fewer international tourists, while the Americas saw a drop of 69%. The latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey shows a mixed outlook for 2021. Almost half of respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect a similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results. The overall prospects for a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020. The remaining half of respondents still see a potential rebound in 2021, though below the expectations shown in the October 2020 survey (79% expected a recovery in 2021). Experts foresee growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest. Looking further ahead, most experts do not to see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take between two-and-a-half and four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels. The gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to ease travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.

ЮНВТО Всемирная туристская Барометр, и статистическое приложение Обновленная информация, Январь 2021 года

Tourism suffers its deepest crisis with a drop of 74% in 2020 in international arrivals Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020 following an unprecedented health, social and economic emergency amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) plunged by 74% in 2020 over the previous year due to widespread travel restrictions and a massive drop in demand. The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, about 300 million less than in the previous year. The Middle East and Africa both recorded a 75% drop in arrivals. In Europe arrivals declined by 70%, representing over 500 million fewer international tourists, while the Americas saw a drop of 69%. The latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey shows a mixed outlook for 2021. Almost half of respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect a similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results. The overall prospects for a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020. The remaining half of respondents still see a potential rebound in 2021, though below the expectations shown in the October 2020 survey (79% expected a recovery in 2021). Experts foresee growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest. Looking further ahead, most experts do not to see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take between two-and-a-half and four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels. The gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to ease travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.

UNWTO World Tourism Barometer and Statistical Annex, January 2021

Tourism suffers its deepest crisis with a drop of 74% in 2020 in international arrivals Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020 following an unprecedented health, social and economic emergency amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) plunged by 74% in 2020 over the previous year due to widespread travel restrictions and a massive drop in demand. The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, about 300 million less than in the previous year. The Middle East and Africa both recorded a 75% drop in arrivals. In Europe arrivals declined by 70%, representing over 500 million fewer international tourists, while the Americas saw a drop of 69%. The latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey shows a mixed outlook for 2021. Almost half of respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect a similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results. The overall prospects for a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020. The remaining half of respondents still see a potential rebound in 2021, though below the expectations shown in the October 2020 survey (79% expected a recovery in 2021). Experts foresee growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest. Looking further ahead, most experts do not to see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take between two-and-a-half and four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels. The gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to ease travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.

Developing the Nature based Tourism in Minia Governorate: An Analysis of Tourism Potentials and Constraints

Nature-based tourism is an important component of the tourism industry in the world and its features vary from one destination to another. However, nature-based tourism destinations are not appropriately developed due to structural and operational difficulties related to local planning. In the Minia governorate, the location, quantity, and quality of natural resources and their required infrastructure for tourism development have not been well documented. So, this paper identified the potentials and problems which face the governmental authorities in developing and promoting nature-based tourism. Moreover, the nature based tourism activities that are most suitable to be developed in the Minia governorate have been determined. The collected data depended on in-depth interviews depended on questionnaires with governmental authorities related to nature based tourism development in Minia governorate and the main branches of these authorities in Cairo. These interviews were undertaken from February to April 2020. Analysis of these interviews explained that Minia governorate has many natural attractions for developing nature-based tourism activities. On the other hand, it illustrated three main issues constraining the development of nature-based tourism. These obstacles are lacking adequate financial resources, lacking coordination and overlapping of competencies between the authorities responsible for the development of nature-based tourism, and lacking tourist awareness of the importance of nature-based tourism development.

255 Island tourism carrying capacity in the UNESCO Site Laurisilva of Madeira

The Laurisilva of Madeira is an important natural resource as well as a location for nature-based tourism and recreational activities. Despite UNESCO’s concerns and recommendations for assessing tourism capacity, the local population is perceived as overusing this resource; yet precisely how many tourists visit its most popular areas remains unknown. Tourism carrying capacity (TCC) was assessed on two Rabaçal trails using a specific formulation relating physical aspects to environmental correction factors. Tourism carrying capacity was found to be below theoretical limits, and trail access was not restricted despite being a major concern in natural resource management.

Avaliação de Espaços de Desporto Natureza: Paisagem Protegida - Serra de Montejunto

The protected Area of Serra de Montejunto, as a Protected Area (AP) with potential for nature- based sports and active tourism activities, needs a useful management tool for different types of visitors, similar to the “Nature Sport Charts” existing in other APs in the country. Thus, this research aimed to characterize and evaluate the places for practice of nature-based sports and active tourism activities, namely places of climbing and hiking, using the characterization and evaluation sheets on all previously identified places. The results of this investigation aim to affirm the potential of this AP for sports activities practice in nature and demonstrated the good conditions that exists in practice sites, detecting only the presence of some occasional situations of inadequacy, lack or conservation of equipment. It is concluded that the practice of nature-based sport activities has a great potential in this AP, verifying however the necessity of carrying out strategies that involve: planning, management and maintenance of spaces in order to guarantee conservation and sustainability of the area.

Recreation vs conservation in Natura 2000 sites: a spatial multicriteria approach analysis

Because of its high naturalness and biodiversity, Natura 2000 network (N2K) is becoming increasingly important for recreational opportunity, providing benefits in terms of physical and mental health through outdoor experiences. Nature-based tourism (NBT) is tourism based on the natural attractions of an area: the greater the recreation opportunities, the greater the attractiveness to people. N2K sites are suitable places to favour the development of the NBT, as N2K is not a system of strict nature reserves from which all human activities would be excluded. The approach to conservation and sustainable use of N2K areas is much wider, largely centred on people working with nature rather than against it. To do this, a balance between nature-based tourism development and ecological protection should be reached. In this work, we propose the application of spatial multicriteria analysis, in order to analyse multiple conflicting dimensions interacting over time, considering in particular both criteria related to NBT development and ecological protection. The aim of the work was to analyse the opportunities of Nature-based tourism development in N2K in Umbria, one of the Regions of central Italy, which consists of 102 sites. In particular, the work considered the conditions of biodiversity conservation, flora and fauna, as well as the leisure opportunities provided by the sites and the pressure produced by human activities on them. A spatial multicriteria analysis has been carried out to understand the potentiality of the N2K at territorial level. In particular, the proposed methodology would like to support decision makers in the identification of N2K sites in which NBT activities could be improved and developed, in a balanced way according to biodiversity conservation. Results show, according to preferences set by three different kinds of experts, that only a small bunch of N2K sites could be suitable for an increase of the NBT.