Nature-based Tourism Destinations Research Articles

Tangible or intangible satisfiers? Comparative study of visitor satisfaction in a nature-based tourism destination in the pre- and during-COVID pandemic

Nature-based destinations started to become objects of travel for various visitor segments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changing environment and the travel conditions influence overall visitor satisfaction and its determinants. This study identifies the role of tangible and intangible factors in forming overall visitor satisfaction with a stay in a nature-based tourism destination and their changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Generalized Linear Model with a logit link function was used to identify the significant satisfiers and to determine the factors that play a critical role in visitor satisfaction in the during-COVID era compared to the pre-COVID period. The results show that intangible satisfiers play a more significant role than tangible ones in the COVID time. Surprisingly, natural features are insignificant in explaining overall satisfaction at a nature-based destination in the during-COVID in comparison with the pre-COVID period. In contrast, active sports options have become a significant satisfier in the COVID era. This comparison results contribute to the current theory, and the findings indicate the practical implications for Destination Management Organisations regarding sustainable tourism development. Management implications•Destination Management Organisations (DMO) in nature-based destinations should become more conscious of changing visitor structures concerning destination satisfaction.•DMOs could focus more on promoting activities such as active sports options and tourism infrastructure than natural features regarding current visitor preferences; however, sustainability should be a fundamental goal of competitive tourism destinations.•There is a need to carefully deal with the expanding tourism infrastructure development and prevent uncontrolled growth of commercial activities and attractions that would act against the interests of residents and endanger the value of the natural environment.•DMOs should educate the changing visitors about the importance of responsible tourism.•DMOs should focus on environmental-friendly activities which do not negatively impact nature in terms of using land and natural areas for commercial activities and construction.•DMOs should make efforts to attract their environmental sensitive pre-COVID visitors and target new segments searching for health and sustainability, such as the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) segment and the Free Independent Travellers (FIT).

Tourists' assessment of economic value, benefits and negative impacts of pedestrian walkways: Case-studies of the Paiva River (Arouca) and the Mondego River (Guarda) in Portugal

Hiking tourism becomes a popular wellness travel trend across the world. In recent years, we have witnessed the construction of walkways or boardwalks aiming to leverage the attractiveness of nature-based tourism destinations. This paper aims to assess the quality and economic value of two walkways/boardwalks in Portugal (MRW-Mondego River and PRW-Paiva River). A questionnaire applied to visitors at the entrances/exits of those linear walkways obtained 301 (MRW) and 188 (PRW) responses. In both case-studies, visitors provided high scores for the walkways' attributes and their overall satisfaction, which is positively correlated with their willingness to pay for a ticket to access the walkway (MRW- €4.56 and PRW- €6.31 respectively). This study also conducted a K-means cluster analysis for the Mondego RW sub-sample, that identified four different clusters: Cluster 1- (N = 8) Older and heavy spenders, a small segment of male visitors that spend a high amount of money during more than a 2-day stay in the region; Cluster 2- (N = 35) Heavy donators women, composed mainly by women who are willing to donate an higher amount for the conservation of the walkway; Cluster 3- (N = 62)- Average visitor whose members have a profile with characteristics similar to the average scores of the sample; and Cluster 4- (N = 189) Low spenders younger women, that plan their journey avoiding all the consumption moments and spending the lowest amount as possible (about €24). Based on the proposed theoretical framework and on the claims shared by visitors on the survey, this paper provides some recommendations for public decision-makers. Management implications•The local administration should reinvest the direct revenues from the walkways in new support infrastructures (e.g. accessibility, litter collection or the fire prevention/evacuation plan). They must also design an environmental education program for visitors to mitigate conflicts with local population.•The tourism operators must advertise and diversify the experiences, targeting the preferences of the four major visitors’ segments identified in the cluster analysis aiming to extend their stay in the region. The quality and variety of the restaurants should be improved and a new line of certified merchandising products is a potential source of shop owners’ revenues.

Snapshots of nature: Harnessing Flickr data to frame sustainable brand positioning strategies for Thailand's national parks

National parks, crucial for nature-based tourism, often grapple with balancing marketing and sustainability objectives. Destination brand positioning offers a solution, yet techniques leveraging social media data for strategic positioning remain scarce. This research introduces a method, using Flickr photos, to: (a) identify the key features that define the brand identity of Thailand's national parks, (b) develop a categorical framework to group these parks based on their features and (c) uncover the distinctive features that differentiate parks within each identified category. Utilising Google Cloud Vision AI and LDA topic modelling, 51,387 photos across 125 parks were analysed, revealing 11 topics. K-Means clustering, supplemented by an innovative associative word analysis, discerned five park categories, and the distinctive features of each park. The findings advocate for Thai national parks to adopt strategies including brand positioning, repositioning, demarketing, and collaborative branding to harmoniously bridge sustainability and market demands. Management Implications•Association analysis can serve as an important tool for DMOs and conservation agencies to better understand and manage points of difference in nature-based tourism destinations.•The results of association analysis can inform brand positioning, repositioning, demarketing, and collaborative branding strategies that balance market needs with sustainability.•Distinctive brand positioning can be used to promote lesser-known destinations. Repositioning can be used to promote other strategic images and attributes of the destination. E.g., Khao Khitchakut National Park, which is famous for “Buddha footprint” can promote outstanding natural trails and wildlife that could attract high-value tourists. Demarketing may be necessary to conserve the uniqueness of certain destinations. We show some examples with overtourism that are put under great concern and should rely on carrying capacity strategies.

Nature-Based Destination Image: an empirically validated multidimensional measurement model in the Brazilian Amazon destination.

This paper aimed to empirically validate a multidimensional measurement model for the Nature-Based Tourism Destination Image - NBDI, including the cognitive, affective, and conative components, present in the construct of variables tested by Chaves and Anjos, (2022). The validation of the NBDI measurement model relied on a non-probability quota-based sample consisting of 592 international tourists who visited the Legal Amazon destination. The results pointed out that the NBDI can be measured by a three-dimensional construct of 3rd Order, where the image components presented a positive influence in the formation of the overall image, being the affective component of greater influence, followed by the cognitive and conative, presenting convergent and discriminant validity. The study contributes to the theoretical discussions about NBDI, offering a multidimensional scale with reliable psychometric property and validated with 57 variables, scarce subjects in the scientific literature, as well as, in the marketing strategies of public and private institutions.

Do destination personality and self-congruity matter for the pro-environmental behavioral intention? Nature-based pro-environmental behavior

PurposeThe study aims to draw on the self-congruity theory to investigate the relationship among destination personality (DP), self-congruity and tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intention (BI) among Guangzhou citizens who have experienced nature-based tourism (NBT).Design/methodology/approachThe survey-based quantitative research was divided into two rounds, namely, a preliminary study exploring the dimensions of DP and the verification of whether the DP dimensions that significantly affect pro-environmental BI in step one would be selected for the main research to validate the conceptual model.FindingsThe results suggest that wholesome, one of the destination personalities, strongly predicts tourists’ pro-environmental BI, while actual self-congruity plays a mediating role between sincere, another DP, and tourists’ pro-environmental BI.Practical implicationsIn practice, it offers multidimensional knowledge and robust evidence-based recommendations for the sustainable development and destination branding of NBT destinations in the post-epidemic era.Originality/valueThe study presents pioneering work that reveals previously underestimated factors influencing pro-environmental BI.

Application of Natural-Resource-Based View to Nature-Based Tourism Destinations

Application of Natural-Resource-Based View to Nature-Based Tourism Destinations

Exploring the Psychological Well-Being of Tourism Community Members Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory: A Case Study of Queenstown, New Zealand

Despite a substantial history of research on the well-being of host communities at tourism destinations, the individual psychological well-being of local residents remains an underexplored topic. This study explores the psychological well-being of tourism host community members through a case study of Queenstown, New Zealand. By drawing on the self-determination theory, an innovative focus group analysis approach, microinterlocutor analysis, complemented by thematic analysis, was used to explain the psychological well-being of individual host community members in a nature-based tourism destination. Findings revealed a sense of autonomy, relatedness to people and the natural environment, feelings of competence or mastery, and beneficence-supported psychological well-being. This study extends prior research on the well-being of host communities by identifying key psychological well-being domains explicitly related to host community members. Practical implications of the findings are highlighted with reference to nature-based destinations.

Factors that influence domestic tourists’ decision to visit nature-based tourism destinations in the northern region of Malaysia

Nature-based tourism is a growing trend that drives sustainable options within the tourism industry. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence domestic tourists’ decision to visit nature-based tourism in relation of six independent variables: nature, escape, activities, novelty, nostalgia, and attractions. A survey through a questionnaire was distributed to domestic tourists who travel to nature-based destinations. The research used descriptive analysis to investigate the demographic visitors that visit nature-based destinations. Regression analysis was used to identify the most popular reason for choosing the factors. The results of this study provide information to industry players and academics on domestic tourists’ preferences in nature-based tourism.

Oh I remember the beauty and aesthetics of guilin!: Exploring the implications of memorability on tourist loyalty through a two-wave panel data

The travel and tourism industry is among most severely impacted by natural disasters, terrorism, financial crises, and pandemics. Scholars are currently paying attention to how to revive tourism and establish tourist loyalty in the post-pandemic era. Aesthetics is a fundamental component of the tourist experience, and significantly affects tourist loyalty, intention, and behavior. However, research on destination aesthetics is limited, with most studies neglecting the role of memorability in the outcomes of aesthetics, particularly after the pandemic. Therefore, this study explores the mediating role of memorability in the effects of the aesthetic experiential qualities (scenery, cleanliness, harmony, art/architecture, and genuineness) of a nature-based tourism destination on tourist loyalty. Based on a two-wave panel data approach, 509 survey responses were collected and analyzed using Smarts. The findings indicate that the aesthetic experiential qualities positively affect tourists’ memorability. Although three of the five aesthetic qualities (scenery, harmony, art/architecture) demonstrated no direct impact on loyalty, all the qualities had significant indirect effects on loyalty through the mediation of memorability. This study provides insights and new perspectives for promoting tourist loyalty in the context of post-pandemic tourism recovery.

Visitors’ Environmental Impact on Conservation Areas: An Evaluation of Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Trail in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal

Worldwide, natural landscapes possessing exceptional biodiversity are declared as protected areas for conserving unique biodiversity and ecosystems. With the invention of the concept of ecotourism, protected areas have been established as the most preferred nature-based tourism destinations. The increased tourism activity within the conservation area generates many negative environmental impacts which eventually deteriorate the ecosystem and threaten the biodiversity. The Annapurna Conservation Area is a mountain ecosystem providing shelter for various unique biodiversity and is also famous for tourism activity. Annapurna Base Camp Trekking trail within the Annapurna conservation area has been established as one of the most preferred trekking destinations, however, the negative environmental impacts of tourism on this trekking trail are yet unknown. In this study, we evaluated the environmental impacts of tourism across the Annapurna Base Camp Trekking trail via field visit observation, group discussion, and questionnaire survey on a Likert scale ranging from one to five. The result revealed that solid waste generation and the spread of invasive alien plants across the trekking trail are the obvious environmental impacts of tourism while impacts on other aspects of the environment are almost insignificant and within the threshold limit. The findings thus indicate the need to devise an effective strategy for mitigating solid waste generation and preventing the spread of invasive plants. This finding provides important insights to formulate policies for the management of tourism in conservation areas and protect the biodiversity, landscape, and ecosystem of the Annapurna Base Camp Trekking trail and other similar trekking destinations across the entire country.

The impact of rural tourism destination attractiveness on tourists’ environmentally responsible behavioral intentions: the mediating role of green self-identity

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of tourists’ perceptions of two rural destination attractiveness dimensions on tourists’ environmentally responsible behavioral intentions (ERBI). Further, the mediating effects of tourists’ green self-identity on the relationship between the perception of rural destination attractiveness and ERBI are investigated. Design/methodology/approach This study collected survey data from 188 tourists who had visiting experiences in rural attractions located in the Guangdong Province of China. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results found that rural destination specialty fresh food attractiveness perceived by tourists was positively associated with their ERBI. Moreover, tourists’ green self-identity positively mediated the perception of rural destination attractiveness and ERBI. Originality/value This study explains how the tourists’ perceptions of two rural destination attractiveness dimensions influence their ERBI. By exploring the mediating role of tourists’ green self-identity, this study also emphasizes the transforming mechanism from tourists’ perceived experience to their ERBI. The study provides insights into nature-based tourism destination management and sustainability practices.

Strategies to Develop Sustainable Seagrass-Associated Tourism in Indonesia

Indonesia has significant potential for the implementation of seagrass-associated tourism due to its high seagrass species diversity, large spatial-extent of seagrass meadows and abundant charismatic seagrass-associated species. Seagrass-associated tourism will not only increase the livelihoods of local communities but also have positive impacts on biodiversity within seagrass ecosystems. However, there are specific challenges that need to be addressed as a priority in order to promote sustainable seagrass tourism. These challenges include: (1) lack of awareness among the local communities about the potential of seagrass-associated tourism, (2) potential adverse impacts of tourism activities on natural seagrass ecosystems, (3) lack of standardized parameters for assessing the suitability of sites for seagrass tourism, and (4) lack of safety information for seagrass-associated tourism activities. To overcome these challenges, we propose a number of recommendations that will serve as a basis for promoting seagrass ecosystems as a new nature-based tourism destination in Indonesia.

Satisfaction with Sustainable Tourism—A Case of the Special Nature Reserve “Meadows of Great Bustard”, Vojvodina Province

The Special Nature Reserve, a part of the nature “Meadows of Great Bustard” (MGB), is a protected area with an extremely rare and sensitive ecosystem. The MGB spreads in the northeast of Vojvodina in Serbia. The natural potentials of MGB, in addition to diverse flora and fauna, are symbolized by a jeopardized species of bird called the Great Bustard (Otis tarda). Only a few specimens of this species live in this protected area, and they need to be protected. Globally, the Great Bustard is vulnerable species (VU) and a seriously protected species in Serbia. The goal of the research in this paper is to determine whether sustainable tourism affects the satisfaction of residents, using a quantitative method through the Prism of Sustainability (PoS) research model, which includes the technique of surveying respondents (residents). In this part of Vojvodina lives a population that has specific social characteristics. The cultural legacy, customs of this part of Banat, way of treating nature, local crafts, and local events stand out among those characteristics. The favorable geographical position of MGB, the proximity of Romania and Hungary, and good traffic connections with numerous cities in Serbia and the region represent significant potential for tourism development. The natural motives of MGB and ecological interests should be a priority in planning and developing tourism. A nature-based tourism destination can be formed by combining natural and social motives. The main forms of tourism, important for the development of this area, are ecotourism, scientific research tourism, and birdwatching tourism in the MGB. The significant results of the research are those that point out that the respondents rated ecological and socio-cultural sustainability as the most important. Also, these two dimensions have the greatest impact on sustainable tourism in the MGB. After the conducted research, it can be concluded that the residents are satisfied with sustainable tourism, i.e., sustainable tourism significantly affects the satisfaction of residents.

Examining Tourist Visit Intention to Nature-Based Tourism in Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

The study aims to investigate tourist visit intentions to nature-based tourism destinations after the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used as the primary theoretical foundation to foresee tourist visit intention. This study used a quantitative research design with a purposive sampling technique to collect data. A total of 325 datasets were found to be suitable for the next analysis using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that entirely of the TPB factors are significant in influencing tourist visit intention. Specifically, tourist attitude has the greatest influence on tourist visit intention. It implies that the TPB can effectively forecast tourist visit intention to nature-based tourism destinations. Consequently, destination managers should consider the TPB elements when making decisions.
 Keywords: nature-based tourism, theory planned behavior, visit intentions, post- COVID-19, PLS-SEM

Implementation of the Glagaharum Senduro Lumajang Campground Tourism Marketing Strategy, East Java

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy/Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf) of the Republic of Indonesia continues to strive to optimize the development of the tourism and creative economy sector in Indonesia. developed into a nature-based tourism destination. Nature tourism is a recreational and tourism activity that utilizes the potential of nature to enjoy its beauty, whether it is still natural or there is already a cultivation business, so that there is a tourist attraction to the place. Kwarcab Lumajang as the manager of the Senduro Glagaharum Campground is developing Glagaharum Campground tourism as a tourist spot to increase potential in the fields of education, economy and tourism as well as tours that offer views of Mount Semeru. The view with the background of Mount Semeru and glamping facilities, tent rental, food court, ATV view photo spots, exotic bridges. The problems in this research are: How is the strategy implemented by the Glagaharum Senduro Camping Ground, and how is the response of tourists after visiting. This research is a type of descriptive qualitative research using case studies. Data collection techniques using observation, literature study, interviews, documentation. Sampling using snowball technique. Approaches to data analysis using data reduction, data models, drawing/verifying conclusions. The results showed that the marketing strategy includes product, price, distribution, promotion, human resources, physical evidence, and process. Where there are several deficiencies in the Buper Glagaharum tour, it finds obstacles in the parking area, namely: the land still has lots of rocks, when it's hot the vehicle is directly exposed to the sun.

A Three-Day Forest-Bathing Retreat Enhances Positive Affect, Vitality, Optimism, and Gratitude: An Option for Green-Care Tourism in Italy?

Forest-bathing experiences can be seen as guided recreational activities led by non-clinical trained practitioners in the context of green, slow, and mindful tourism. Notwithstanding its growing practice, there is a lack of research on the psychological benefits which can help support nature-based tourism destination managers in unlocking the potential of this emerging tourism demand. This study will fill in this gap by testing the hypothesis that a three-day forest-bathing retreat, which fits with the most common type of holidays in Europe, will enhance positive affect, vitality, optimism, and gratitude as indicators of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Forty-four adults were involved in the residential program and filled-in self-report questionnaires before and after the experience to assess the well-being dimensions considered. Results showed a significant increase for all the assessed variables. We conclude that forest bathing as a mindful tourism practice carried out in natural settings dominated by forests can favor hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, thus becoming a potential source of attractiveness for nature-based touristic destinations, but more transdisciplinary efforts are needed to exploit this potential. In particular, research gaps still exist in Europe on cause–effect relations between forest features and psychological benefits, how forests could be managed to guarantee these benefits to the advantage of a tourism destination, and how tourism and forest management sectors could collaborate in this direction.

Do not blame the “bad” weather: Stimulating its poetic aesthetics in nature-based tourism destinations

The negative effects of on-site bad weather are generally recognized. However, the experiences of tourists engaging with bad weather are extremely complex and far from being a generalization of negative outcomes, especially as the positive aesthetic value of bad weather begins to gain attention. From an aesthetic perspective, taking complex ensembles of interacting natural elements including weather as aesthetic objects, this study constructs a robust theoretical framework to analyze these complex bad weather experiences. Through a mixed methods research design, this study identifies one of the possible negative impact mechanisms whereby bad weather can negatively affect perceived aesthetic quality, further negatively impact aesthetic emotion, and ultimately reduce tourist loyalty. Literary association and aesthetic sensitivity are revealed as boundary conditions that inhibit the negative effects of bad weather on aesthetic quality. Building on these findings, this study further advances our knowledge of the interplay of weather experiences and natural aesthetics.

Beyond conservation: Assessing broader development outcomes of protected areas in Nepal

Protected Areas (PAs) are set aside for biodiversity conservation but at the same time they are recognized for their role in supporting development goals. However, the benefits provided by PAs also come with costs to local people. Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) are a PA management approach that aim to maximize local benefits through enhancing conservation and development outcomes, while also reducing costs. We implemented a household level survey in two PAs in Nepal managed using an ICDP approach to assess local people's perceived benefits and costs and determine if this approach was achieving its intended outcomes. Since both PAs are popular nature-based tourism (NBT) destinations, respondents were asked questions specific to this activity and others more general to the PA. The coded qualitative responses revealed ten categories of benefits and twelve categories of costs. Most respondents perceived extraction benefits from PAs, and when asked to reflect specifically on NBT, they mostly identified economic benefits. Crop and livestock loss was the main perceived costs from PAs, whereas sociocultural costs were the main costs from NBT. Chi square tests showed that proximity to the PA office and residency status had the most significant differences in perceptions of benefits and costs from both PAs and NBT. People perceived very few benefits related to participation, cost mitigation, and conservation, which does not match the intended outcomes of ICDPs. Although there may be practical implications for engaging distant communities in management, this may help to enhance conservation and development outcomes from PAs.

‘We’re managing a different river now’: a political ecology of nature-based recreation in the Dolores River Watershed

The Dolores River is fed primarily by snowmelt from the western San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. It travels 241 miles across the Colorado Plateau to its confluence with the Colorado River, near Moab, Utah, a major nature-based tourism destination in the U.S west. Water usage and climate change projections in the Dolores River Watershed, as well as throughout the Colorado River Basin, complicate transboundary planning and management related to vital ecosystem services. As dynamic pressures alter this complex social-ecological system, disparities in resource allocation are magnified. In this study, we leverage reflections from recreation, conservation, and land management stakeholders (n = 18) to understand their perceptions of water allocation within the Dolores River Watershed. We frame this conversation using Rawls’s (A theory of justice. Harvard University Press; JSTOR, 1971) theory of justice to explore perceived incompatibilities present within the existing watershed management and discuss recreational and environmental stakeholders’ perceptions of the inequitable distribution of resources. A combination of deductive coding processes using Rawls’s principles and inductive open coding processes help identify linkages between the Rawlsian framework and interviewees’ experiences of the salient political ecologies of the watershed. We conclude by illustrating challenges with the current water regime within the Dolores River Watershed and potential improvements to the distribution of resources through policy and management consistent with Rawls’s theory of justice.

Environmental Attitude, Motivation and Place Attachment in a Wildlife Park

Despite the significance of motivation in understanding the behaviour of tourists, its interconnectedness to environmental attitude and place attachment has been scarcely studied in nature-based tourism destinations, especially outside the western and Anglo western context. This study examined these constructs as individual variables as well as the inter-relationships that exist between them in the context of a wildlife park. Using a convenience sampling technique, 372 visitors were surveyed. It was revealed that visitors displayed more anthropocentric beliefs than ecologically favourable concerns. Their motivations centred on experiencing and appreciating nature, recreation, relaxation and education which are some of the core goals of the establishment of such areas as wildlife parks. The levels of attachment to the destination were however mild. The results further revealed significant associations between the constructs. The partial mediating role of motivation in the relationship between environmental attitude and place attachment was also reported. Appropriate conclusions were drawn and managerial implications were discussed.