Nature-based Tourism Research Articles

Bibliometric Analysis on Ecotourism in Agriculture (2012 to 2022) Through VOSviewer

Ecotourism, natural resource protection, and local livelihood are considered a kind of nature-based tourism that targets two key attributes: the enhancement of livelihoods and the protection of biodiversity. Bibliometric analysis is a quantitative review approach that employs statistics, data mining, and mathematics to identify new academic trends. To evaluate the evolution and extension of this body of knowledge and to forecast its future path, the present study analyzed Scopus-indexed research publications on ecotourism in agriculture from 2012 to 2022. To perform the bibliometric analysis, the VOSviewer software and Scopus analytics were used. VOSviewer has two separate visualization modes: network and overlay. A total of 274 journal articles (n = 181) and conference papers (n = 46) were extracted. The number of research documents published by 269 authors was steadily increasing annually. China is the leading country in the number of publications and research collaborations. In addition, monitoring the carrying capacity of ecotourism locations and giving vocational training to the untrained local people would increase the overall efficacy of the ecotourism industry. For a successful ecotourism company, it would be advantageous to get a thorough understanding of the ecotourist’s role and the importance of eco-certification.

Geoheritage of the Gua Ikan Karst Complex (GIKC), Stong Geopark, Dabong, Kuala Krai District, Kelantan, Malaysia: Evaluation for Geotourism Opportunities

The Gua Ikan Karst Complex (GIKC) is one of the geosite in the Stong Geopark. It consists of spectacular Middle Permian–Late Triassic Gua Musang Formation karst topography, represented by four (4) caves i.e., Gua Ikan, Gua Keris, Gua Pagar, and Gua Gelap. The GIKC can be potentially developed for nature-based tourism since it holds great geoheritage values. The aim of this research is to evaluate the current state of geotourism condition (qualitatively/quantitatively) and geoheritage features of the GIKC using two (2) values in the Modified Geosite Assessment Model (M- GAM) i.e., the Main Value (MV) and Additional Value (AV). The results indicate that the GIKC offers high Scientific/Educational Value (VSE); in the aspect of karst geomorphology (underground river caves, valley/wang, cave chambers, unique shape of stalactite/stalagmite/columns), lithology (metamorphosed limestone of the Gua Musang Formation and the Taku Shist), and palaeogeographic features (coral fossils, sea notch). In summary, the Total Main Value (∑MV) are Gua Ikan (9.73), Gua Keris (9.39), Gua Pagar (9.27) and Gua Gelap (8.66). The Total Additional Value (∑AV) are Gua Ikan (11.56), Gua Keris (11.25), Gua Pagar (11.04) and Gua Gelap (10.98). This paper’s findings reveal a comprehensive base for the improvement, planning, and management of the GIKC to become a geotourism end-point.

Development of Access to Sabodam Pabelan Tourism Village

Indonesia is rich in the potential for nature-based tourism such as tourist villages. Pabelan Village is a village in Magelang Regency, Central Java that has the potential for a nature-based Sabodam River tourist area. In an effort to help develop tourism in the region, infrastructure development in the form of road access is needed to increase accessibility and tourism attraction. The infrastructure development process starts from a group discussion forum, location survey, design, and development realization. From this process, outputs are produced in the form of development plans consisting of excavation volumes and soil piles. This road access is expected to make it easier for tourists when they want to visit Sabodam Pabelan tourism.

MULTI-CRITERIA MODEL TO ASSESS THE POTENTIALS OF CAT BA NATIONAL PARK TO DEVELOP TOURISM TIED TO CONSERVATION

For a sustainable tourist destination, a multi-criteria assessment is essential. The assessment results are the basis for managers to make optimal development decisions for the destination. In particular, for the nature-based tourist sites (protected areas, national parks), the assessment of tourism potentials will establish the basis for protecting, monitoring ecosystems, and managing the tourism sustainable development calendar. The Multi-Criteria Method and additional methods were applied to assess tourism potentials as well as to propose conservation measures for Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam. Through the assessment of six criteria (location/accessibility, attractiveness, tourist capacity, environmental sustainability, travel duration, and tourism infrastructure/tourism technology), the results indicate that Cat Ba National Park (Vietnam) is an attractive tourist destination with a good tourist capacity, a convenient location for tourists to move, and a long tourism time of the year. However, Cat Ba National Park is a place where environmental sustainability is still limited; its exploitation needs to be considered along with its conservation, degradation prevention, and ecosystem monitoring.

Comparative analysis of decision tree and support vector machine algorithm in sentiment classification for birds of paradise content

This research aims to analyze public sentiments towards National Geographic's content on the bird of paradise from the perspective of nature-based tourism. The method utilized is CRISP-DM, comprising stages of business understanding, data understanding, modeling, evaluation, and deployment. Focusing on sentiments expressed in response to National Geographic's Bird of Paradise content, this study seeks insights into how the public perceives and values nature-oriented tourism experiences. Comparing the results of DT and SVM algorithms with and without the SMOTE reveals noteworthy differences in classification performance. Without SMOTE, both DT and SVM exhibit relatively lower accuracy and AUC values compared to their counterparts with SMOTE. For DT, adding SMOTE substantially improves accuracy (from 92.44% to 95.20%) and AUC (from 0.517 to 0.956), indicating enhanced classification accuracy and model robustness. In addition, SVM demonstrates significant performance gains with SMOTE, achieving notably higher accuracy (from 92.12% to 98.63%) and AUC (from 0.617 to 0.999). The significantly higher values across various performance metrics for SVM underscore its effectiveness in handling imbalanced datasets and accurately classifying sentiment data. Therefore, researchers and practitioners may consider leveraging SVM for sentiment analysis tasks in similar contexts to achieve optimal classification results and enhance decision-making processes.

Climate Change Impacts on the Tourism Industry in Georgia

This study delves into how climate change affects nature-based tourism in Georgia, focusing on its impact on winter and Seaside tourism. Concerns arise from observed snow cover trends at pivotal ski resorts such as Bakuriani and Gudauri, indicating potential threats to the winter tourism calendar. The escalation of climate-induced natural disasters and coastal erosion poses immediate economic risks, necessitating prompt adaptation strategies. Economic models project adverse impacts on tourism and GDP, emphasizing the need for tailored mitigation measures. Variances in climate impacts across diverse tourist zones underscore the vital requirement for unified and comprehensive adaptation approaches. The article advocates for multifaceted strategies encompassing business, consumer behavior, and destination dynamics, stressing the integration of climate research into policy frameworks and awareness initiatives. This integration is vital to foster resilient and sustainable tourism development in Georgia amid the exigencies posed by climate change, ensuring the safeguarding of the state's tourism future.

TOURISM INDUSTRY IN KAZAKHSTAN: ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

The article discusses tourism concepts dedicated to developing the tourism industry in Kazakhstan. Since its independence, Kazakhstan has adopted various tourism concepts and national plans but they do not concern or care for the entirety of Kazakhstan’s territory. Despite the country’s prosperity with regards to diversity and opportunity, it is in need of institutional structure and management efficiency to optimally succeed. Kazakhstan’s tourism industry is currently responsible for over five governmental and private organizations but they exude inefficiency. These organizations have overlapping and repeating functions. Most tourism concepts failed to be executed within the established time frames. Some concepts were created by mixing cluster theory with destination management organization methods. Essentially, these prove that Kazakhstan has weak management structure, marketing and branding with an insufficiency primarily caused by a lack of effective and efficient marketing. The country proved itself to struggle to balance multiple things at once. For instance, the 2023 conception required the country to focus on 12 types of tourism simultaneously which concluded in nothing being accomplished.Therefore, the authors suggest targeting only four types of tourism including MICE tourism, cultural heritage tourism, nature-based tourism, and spiritual tourism. Furthermore, eleven strategies are introduced with tactics to develop the country’s tourism industry. As a result, this article suggests some recommendations to solve the problems associated with the development of the tourism industry.

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.

Natural Resources and Sustainable Tourism: Opportunities in Kroczyce Commune, Poland

This study aimed to evaluate the tourism potential of Kroczyce municipality, Poland, with a focus on its natural attractions and their role in fostering sustainable tourism. Kroczyce, chosen for its pristine natural features, presents an ideal case for examining the integration of sustainable practices in tourism. The research confirmed that the municipality’s natural landscape, rock formations, water reservoirs, protected areas, and caves are significant tourist attractions and sustainable assets. Additionally, it revealed a strong awareness among residents and visitors of the importance of sustainable tourism. The study’s findings suggest that local authorities can effectively develop Kroczyce as a sustainable tourism destination. This development involves investing in eco-friendly infrastructure, promoting conservation, and engaging the local community, ensuring tourism aligns with environmental conservation. Such an approach not only enhances the tourist experience but also preserves the natural ecosystem for future generations. Furthermore, transitioning Kroczyce into a nature tourism hub could yield substantial socio-economic benefits. The expected increase in tourism can stimulate job creation, boost local trade, and improve amenities, contributing positively to the region’s overall development. This case study provides a roadmap for similar municipalities aiming to develop sustainable, nature-based tourism.

IMPACT OF TOURISM IN ALAMENDAH TOURISM VILLAGE ON THE PHYSICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES

A tourist village is one or more administrative areas with defined limits where the local population manages the tourism-related products. An endeavour to use natural or cultural resources as a tourist attraction is called tourism development. One strategy for implementing community-based and sustainable tourist development, particularly in rural regions, is the creation of tourism communities. One of the villages with a concentration on agro- and nature-based tourism is Alamendah Village, which is operated as a tourist village. Tourism's expansion and growth will undoubtedly have a direct and indirect impact on the neighborhood and its surroundings. In Alamendah Village, Bandung Regency, West Java, this study intends to examine the effects of creating a tourist village on the sociocultural, economic, and physical aspects of the local community. An approach known as the qualitative-descriptive approach was used for this study. By building on observational techniques and performing a web search for documentation studies pertaining to the influence of tourism growth in Alamendah Village, data was collected. According to the study's findings, the Alamendah Tourism Village's tourism-related activities had a good impact on the local community's sociocultural and economic circumstances while having no adverse effects on the surrounding environment.

Young Segment Attitudes towards the Environment and Their Impact on Preferences for Sustainable Tourism Products

This paper aims to understand better how attitudes towards the environment could influence preferences and willingness to pay for the development of sustainable tourism products on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. A hybrid choice model is estimated to analyse how different latent constructs related to environmental concerns affect individuals’ preferences for a set of sustainable tourism activities. The data used in the analysis are obtained from a discrete choice experiment where different scenarios with nature-based tourism packages are created. A set of measurement indicators allowed us to gain insight into the underlying latent structure regarding the individuals’ attitudes towards the environment. The analysis consists of integrating these attitudes into a choice model, focusing on a market segment primarily composed of potential customers who are young residents and non-residents. The results reveal significant heterogeneity in preferences and willingness to pay for the various activities under study when attitudinal latent factors are incorporated into the model. Our findings provide valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners promoting sustainable tourism products.

A relational exploration of tourists’ environmental values and their perception of restrictions in protected nature

In the face of the present ecological crisis, a relational understanding of human-nature relationships is increasingly critical, especially in protected nature areas. This understanding encompasses not only the values assigned to nature but also the environmental values that individuals hold and their impact on sense-making. We apply the Two Major Environmental Value scale, which allows for the classification of individuals into four environmental value groups along a broader spectrum. For the first time, we examine the scales’ explanatory power in the context of nature-based tourism in a protected area. Specifically, we explore the dynamic between different environmental value groups and their sense-making of the restrictions limiting access to nature in a Swedish nature reserve. Findings reveal significant differences in how visitors with varying environmental values perceive these restrictions. We introduce a newly identified value-based visitor group, i.e. the dualcentric environmental value group. Its perception of restrictions is found to be located between those of the biocentric and the anthropocentric group. Implications for how management should work towards creating transformative nature-based tourist experiences based on human-nature relationships are discussed along with an agenda for future research.

Nature-based tourism and climate favourability: a case of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

ABSTRACT Nature-based tourism at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is a salient contributor to the national economy. Nature-based tourism involves travel to a destination dependent on the natural environment for recreation. Nature-based tourism is influenced by weather, climate, and over the span of decades, climate change. However, there is a salient knowledge gap where the interrelations between climate and tourism at the Great Barrier Reef remain understudied. Accordingly, this study present the case of the Great Barrier Reef to investigate (1) climate favourability, (2) changes to long-term weather (i.e. climate) as a process of climate change, (3) interrelations between climate and travel decisions, and (4) the value of climate favourabiltiy to tourism performance. Weather favourability is calculated using the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), and the dependent variable is airport arrivals (i.e. a travel decision). Results demonstrate (1) 96.3% of the months had ‘good’ to ‘ideal’ weather favourability, (2) annual HCI improved towards ‘ideal’ as a process of climate change (1984–2021), (3) past tourism participation and climate were predictive of travel decisions dependent on meteorological season, and (4) the value of climate favourability in the summer and spring seasons.

Lifestyles That Impact The Choice To Visit A Café In The Northern Area Of Bandung City At West Java Province

The trend of the growth of café in the North Bandung City Area is increasing, along with increasing mobility and the need for people to enjoy coffee in beautiful nature. The growth of the café is also in line with the growth of nature-based tourist destinations, which are increasingly attractive to visit. This study analyses how lifestyle influences the decision to visit café in North Bandung City, West Java Province. The research method used qualitative with a descriptive survey approach of 100 respondents who visited café in North Bandung City, West Java Province. Simple linear analysis is the data analysis method employed. The results showed that lifestyle positively and significantly affected the decision to visit café in North Bandung City, West Java Province. This influence is in a robust classification. Thus, the implication of this research is the need for café in the North Bandung City area of West Java Province to organize café oriented towards visitors' needs and lifestyle desires, mainly when associated with social media. This research needs to be continued by involving other aspects as variables studied, for example, social media.

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.

Outdoor recreationists’ engagement with weather: The weather-outdoor recreation process model

The role of weather in outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism constitutes a growing area of research. Yet how and when weather influences the individual outdoor recreation experience continues to warrant investigation. Furthermore, concepts and knowledge about human-weather relationships are scattered across several disciplines. This paper consolidates the literature and relationships into a conceptual model that illustrates the ways in which recreationists engage with weather during the nature-based outdoor recreation experience. At the core of the model, constructed using a multidisciplinary literature review and expert appraisal process, is the person-weather environment fit process. During each phase of the recreation experience, individuals assess and respond to weather conditions considering their recreational goals, chosen activity, comfort, health and safety, and site access. When faced with an incongruent fit, individuals engage in a process of weather constraints negotiation. Intervening factors and negotiation responses are highlighted, as are personal and other environmental factors that may influence perceptions of the thermal context and weather. The resulting conceptual model is intended to be applicable to most individuals, outdoor recreation activities and settings, and regions. The model can be used to situate existing outdoor recreation-weather research, stimulate future research, and inform management. Management implications•The Weather-Outdoor Recreation Process Model (WORP) provides fodder for academic discourse, testable hypotheses, research ideas, and advances our collective understanding of outdoor recreation.•The model provides outdoor recreation researchers and management interested in understanding how weather plays a role or otherwise influences recreationists' experiences and behaviors with a conceptual map of recreationist-weather interactions.•Researchers may choose to use the conceptual model and accompanying literature review as a means for exploring various concepts and relationships.•Recreation managers may consult the model in order to grasp the range of possible weather concerns and identify entry points for interventions to support year-round recreation and positive outcomes for different groups.•The model can be applied in a training or formal education environment as a basis to discuss the complexities of outdoor recreation and associated variables.•Practitioners can use the WORP to identify how improvements in infrastructure and/or information provision may help increase the ability of outdoor recreationists to negotiate weather constraints.

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 ROADSHOW PROMOTION METHOD IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE VISITS TO KAMPUNG BATU MALAKASARI

Bandung Regency has a variety of nature-based tourism options that can be found here, each of which has its own uniqueness from one place to another. In fact, if you look at its geographic location, Bandung City and Bandung Regency are indeed very strategically located, as this area is very close to the capital city of Jakarta, which makes Bandung City and Bandung Regency currently a tourist escape for some people, especially residents of the capital city of Jakarta. The method used in this research is a qualitative research method, and the results of this research show that there are several solutions to solving problems in Kampung Batu Malakasari to attract visitors to visit, namely the process of conveying information carried out by Kampung Batu Malakasari through a team. Marketing through offline promotions or pick-up and drop-off is to convince potential visitors to visit the Kampung Batu Malakasari tourist destination. Furthermore, by establishing cooperation between Kampung Batu Malakasari and schools, the selection of this promotion is in accordance with the main target of Kampung Batu Malakasari itself, so that information is more effective and efficient.

Elements of Metamorphic Rocks (Marble and Quartzite) of Bukit Cinta Gunung Gajah, Klaten

Rocks such as metamorphic and sedimentary are natural constructions. Rocks in natural construction become elementary materials that form the landscape of the area, including in nature-based tourism objects, Bukit Cinta in Gunung Gajah, Klaten, Central Java. The purpose of this research is to describe the elements of rocks in the place. The study method used is descriptive qualitative method and tends to use analysis. The theoretical basis is used as a basic reference in preparing the study report to match the conditions in the field. In addition, the theoretical basis can also provide an overview of the background of the study as material for discussion. The ability to collect data is an important factor in determining the validation of the study conducted. Data collection in this case is obtained secondarily, namely through documents or literature studies. The results of the study found that there are 3 main supporters for the strong landscape in the tourist ojek of Gunung Gajah love hill. The three are metamorphic rocks observed there are fillic metamorphic relief, marble metamorphic rocks, and quartzite metamorphic rocks; limestone sedimentary rocks. Limestone can be used for building materials, road paving, and house foundations; and Diorte igneous rocks. Diorte igneous rocks can be used as home decoration.

Measuring Residents’ and Visitors’ Satisfaction with Sustainable Tourism—The Case of “Rusanda” Nature Park, Vojvodina Province

The Nature Park “Rusanda” (NPR) is a designated area under the second category of national protection. Situated in the Vojvodina Province, in the northern region of Serbia, its accessibility to a substantial number of international visitors is enhanced by its proximity to Romania and Hungary. Lake Rusanda and the salt marsh habitats render this region a sanctuary for rare avian species. This ecological significance has led to the NPR being designated as an IBA area—an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by Birdlife. Beyond its natural attributes, the NPR stands out for its diverse cultural heritage, stemming from the local population residing in its immediate vicinity. A notable characteristic is the diverse ethnic makeup, contributing to a wide array of cultures, traditional attire, original folk music, customs, and cuisine, collectively forming a distinctive cultural heritage unique to this part of Vojvodina. To assess the status of sustainable tourism and its impact on the satisfaction of both residents and tourists within the NPR, the Prism of Sustainability model (PoS) is employed. In the quantitative approach, a survey questionnaire was utilized as a research tool, with a total of 840 participants included through a randomized sampling technique. Regression analysis of the study’s results indicates that sustainable tourism exerts a significant influence on the contentment of local people and tourists in the NPR. Given the presence of diverse ecological and societal elements, in addition to the existence of rare flora and fauna species, the central thrust in tourism development should focus on preserving and involving local residents in the planning and progress of tourism initiatives. The primary types of tourism that are poised for success in the NPR encompass ecotourism, wellness and spa tourism, nature-based tourism, birdwatching, scientific research tourism, and excursions.