Tourism Development In Protected Areas Research Articles

Towards Sustainable Tourism Development in a Small Protected Area: Mapping Stakeholders’ Perceptions in the Alvão Natural Park, Portugal

ABSTRACT The Alvão Natural Park (PNAL) is the smallest natural park in Portugal. The PNAL is currently in the process of implementing its co-management model, abandoning the old centralized top-down model, and aiming for a more sustainable development of the protected area. Recognizing the key role of stakeholders in sustainable tourism development in protected areas, this study examines how PNAL stakeholders perceive various topics related to sustainable tourism and local development. To this end, 19 PNAL stakeholders participated in two focus groups that were conducted to collect the primary data. NVivo software was used for content analysis and mapping stakeholders’ perceptions. The results indicate that even though the stakeholders believe that the protected area has great tourism potential and that the park’s residents are open to tourism, public authority conflicts and the lack of infrastructure and services to support tourism present obstacles to a sustainable tourism development.

Measurement of Tourism-Related CO2 Emission and the Factors Influencing Low-Carbon Behavior of Tourists: Evidence from Protected Areas in China.

In the fight against climate change, future policy directions in the transition toward a green travel- and tourism-based economy include improving tourism-derived CO2 emission levels and guiding individual low-carbon behavior. In China, people tend to engage in outdoor adventure travel and cultural tourism in natural areas. However, limited information is available on the empirical evaluation of energy use and the CO2 emissions associated with tourism in protected areas. The present study used a life cycle assessment to explore energy use and CO2 emissions due to tourism and identify the factors driving low-carbon behavior. To these ends, survey data for the protected areas of the Qinling Mountains from 2014 to 2019 were used. The results showed that energy use and CO2 emissions in various tourism sectors steadily increased from 2014 to 2019, primarily because of an increase in transportation activity. This study used data derived from the calculation of CO2 emissions per tourist per trip to identify the various factors jointly contributing to the low-carbon behavior of tourists. These included a low-carbon attitude, low-carbon knowledge, environmental education, and policy reward. The broader implications of this study are that several emission reduction policy options are available to address the challenges inherent in sustainable tourism development and that these policies may be selected according to specific conditions. The low-carbon transformation of recreational facilities at travel destinations, policy rewards, and environmental education can regulate tourist behavior, holding the key to sustainable tourism development in protected areas.

Sustainability assessment of tourism in protected areas: A relational perspective

Tourism is important in that protected areas (PAs) provide cultural ecosystem services. However, interactions between humans and nature, between stakeholders, and between environmental elements make it complex and variable. To promote sustainable tourism development in PAs, this study (i) established an evaluation framework reflecting the relationships among stakeholders and different environmental system dimensions considering human–environment systems’ complexities, dynamics, and interactivity, (ii) identified 52 sustainability indicators (31 belonging to the social system and 21 to the environmental system) in accordance with sustainable tourism development goals for PAs using the fuzzy Delphi method, and (iii) applied these indicators to Qinghai Lake Nature Reserve. The results indicated that its overall sustainability is intermediate, with the sustainability of its social system being better than that of the environmental system. We effectively combined the stakeholder theory and coupling coordination degree, and assessed the sustainability of PA tourism with the relational perspective.

Perception of the Impacts of Tourism by the Administrations of Protected Areas and Sustainable Tourism (Un)Development in Slovakia

Sustainable tourism development within protected areas has been a subject of interest for professionals. The effective development of nature-based tourism can be beneficial to both the environment and people. This work presents the results of research on the positive and negative impacts of tourism in protected areas of Slovakia as perceived by the administrations of individual protected areas of the country. Subsequently, the paper highlights the major issues affecting sustainable tourism development in protected areas in Slovakia, based on a review of recent legislation and strategic documents. The results of the study indicate that the status of a large-scale protected area does not play a role in the perception of the impact of tourism. The most significant impacts of tourism in protected areas, according to their administrations’ perceptions, include an increase in waste production, informing local people about the value of the natural and cultural heritage, the education of visitors, the conflict of interest in using natural resources when doing business in a protected area, and the destruction of natural habitats. However, when linking the impacts of tourism to sustainable tourism development in these areas, current Slovak legislation does not allow for the sufficient development of nature-based tourism in protected areas in Slovakia. In this regard, appropriate measures are required to positively change the recent situation in this field.

Enhancing Regional Tourism Development in the Protected Areas Using the Total Economic Value Approach

This research aims to boost tourism development in natural protected areas through the classification of the tourism hiking trails based on biodiversity ecosystem services values. The Total Economic Value (TEV) approach was used as the main research method to estimate the monetary value of the various ecosystem resources in Abu Qubies Syrian protected area. Five main tourism hiking trails in Abu Qubies were identified in order to be classified based on the economic value of their ecosystem resources. The study findings highlighted the importance of protected areas in enhancing tourism activities, especially natural-based ones. Additionally, this research identified the most economically valuable tourism hiking trails in the reserve, thus providing a supporting tool for decision-makers regarding tourism development in protected areas. This study presents the importance of the conservation perspective of natural resources in protected areas without ignoring their physical monetary value that can help governments in boosting local communities as well as the national, regional and local economies.

The role of seasonality in assessments of conflict tendency between tourism development and ecological preservation in protected areas: The case of protected areas in China

Conflict management in PAs (Protected Areas) is becoming increasingly important in the context of the rapid development of nature-based tourism. Literature proposes the Index of Conflict tendency between Tourism development and ecological Protection (ICTP) to analyze the tendency of conflict from a spatial perspective, but this index does not consider the factor of seasonality which is important in tourism. The current study considers seasonality and proposes the CVD (Coverage- Variation- Duration) framework to conduct a spatio-temporal analysis of the ICTP. The applied research based on the case of China's V–PAs (a specific category of PAs) reflects that the CVD framework can describe the spatial distribution of the ICTP from a seasonal perspective. The study finds that, among V–PAs in China, 42.16% of the areas with high ICTP of V–PAs have obvious seasonal variations, which shows that PAs conflict management must incorporate the factor of seasonality. The study also shows that 8.98% of V–PAs have large-scale coverage of areas with high ICTP, revealing priorities for conflict management. 3.96% of V–PAs have large-scale coverage of areas with high ICTP showing seasonal changes. Management in these areas should pay attention to seasonal changes to become more effective. The CVD framework proposed in this paper is operable and extendable and can provide analytical tools for PAs conflict management, and promote ecological protection and more sustainable tourism development in PAs.

Tourism carrying capacity reconceptualization: Modelling and management of destinations

Sustainability of tourism development in protected areas relies largely on the ability of destination management to harmonize the activities of visitors, local communities, entrepreneurs and other tourism actors with the primary aim of nature and landscape protection. Based on conceptual analysis, the manuscript refines tourism carrying capacity theory and operationalizes it into a cohesive systems approach to evidence-based visitor management in protected areas. The proposed modified concept of tourism carrying capacity approaches the protected area as a destination system where the continuous determination, estimation, and attainment of the visitation optimum are the main problems to be solved. The overall aim is to construct a comprehensive destination model which can be embedded into a decision-support system for visitor management. Testing of the proposed system, derived through an inductive process, has been initiated in the Czech Republic's protected area, for which a comprehensive destination model is being created. • Time and space changes of carrying capacity reflect destination processes dynamics. • These changes of carrying capacity have to be reflected in the destination model. • Visitation optimum is used to define effective and potential carrying capacity. • The refined carrying capacity concept can greatly improve visitor management.

Tourism for sustainable development goals (SDGs) achievement in Bangladesh

In line with the global goals for sustainable development (SDG goals), UNWTO has emphasized sustainable tourism development for achieving SDGs targets in the member countries. Bangladesh has already identified tourism as a thrust sector for the development of the country. The present study identifies the opportunities and contributions of tourism activities for achieving SDGs in Bangladesh. This study analyses the existing tourism policies and plans, government regulations, reports, and SDG related practices to attain the objectives. It is observed that SDG goals number 8, 12, and 14 are directly related to tourism. Furthermore, tourism can contribute to achieving some other SDG goals, like 3, 11, and 15. The study reveals that the contributions of tourism to GDP and employment are in an increasing trend. Sustainable Consumption and Production practices are encouraging the tourism businesses to include nature and biodiversity conservation in their management plans. Marine tourism development in the Bay-of-Bengal can play a positive role in reducing the negative impact of climate change and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources. The study reveals that sustainable tourism development through cultural, religious, and archeological features can make Dhaka a stable and sustainable city. The study shows that sustainable tourism development in protected areas can ensure the preservation of forest areas, protect biodiversity conservation and provide sustainable use of natural resources. Sustainable tourism development can ensure long-term social, economic, and environmental benefits to all stakeholders to contribute a sustainable development in Bangladesh.

Fatores que afetam o apoio dos residentes ao desenvolvimento do turismo em áreas naturais protegidas


 
 
 
 O objetivo deste artigo é analisar os fatores capazes de influenciar o apoio dos residentes ao desenvolvimento do turismo em Unidade de Conservação (UC) da Natureza. Para tanto, foi desenvolvido um estudo hipotético-dedutivo, de natureza descritiva, com abordagem analítica quantitativa do tipo Survey. A amostra utilizada foi composta de 180 respondentes residentes na localidade de Natal/RN que se encontravam em visita a unidade estadual Parque das Dunas. Esta amostra foi coletada de maneira não probabilística por conveniência e utilizando-se a sistematização como critério de seleção dos respondentes. Os dados coletados foram analisados por meio da técnica de Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (MEE) para a verificação dos inter-relacionamentos entre constructos, baseando-se no modelo de verificação das intenções comportamentais proposto por Chen e Tsai (2007). Os resultados encontrados sugerem que a qualidade do local é o atributo que possui o maior impacto na explicação do apoio ao desenvolvimento do turismo em UC da natureza e observou-se também que o constructo Valor apresenta interações significativas com os demais constructos analisados, influenciando de maneira direta o apoio. Desta forma, como contribuição, esta pesquisa, possibilitou reforçar a compreensão de que quando há percepção do valor socioambiental os indivíduos estão mais propensos ao apoio ao desenvolvimento do turismo.
 
 
 

Protected Areas: Geotourist Attractiveness for Weekend Tourists Based on the Example of Gorczański National Park in Poland

The aim of the publication was to assess the geotourist attractiveness of protected areas in Poland among weekend tourists based on the example of Gorczański National Park. The park location near urbanized areas makes it an attractive field for research on weekend tourism development. The tourist potential of the park is presented, starting from geological aspects and geotourist values. Then, the tourist potential was analysed, with a focus on geotourist resources, which include tourist trails and didactic routes. The tourist traffic volume was also examined. On the basis of legal documents, such as nature conservation plans, threats related to tourism development in protected areas were presented as indicated by park managers. In accordance with the Act on Nature Conservation, the threats are divided into four groups: internal existing and potential threats and external existing and potential threats. The tourists’ opinion on the geotourist attractiveness of the park was investigated with surveys conducted during selected weekends significant in the context of tourist traffic volume. Thus, a profile of people visiting the park for short stays was obtained, as well as their assessment of the tourist resources of the area, with particular emphasis on geotourist values.

Corrigendum: Good governance and tourism development in protected areas: The case of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, central Vietnam

Protected areas are increasingly expected to serve as a natural income-producing resource via the exploitation of recreational and touristic activities. Whilst tourism is often considered a viable option for generating income which benefits the conservation of a protected area, there are many cases in which insufficient and opaque planning hinder sustainable development, thereby reducing local benefit sharing and, ultimately, nature conservation. This article delineated and examined factors in governance which may underlie tourism development in protected areas. Based on Graham, Amos and Plumptre’s five good governance principles, a specific analysis was made of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Vietnam, which highlighted challenges in the practical implementation of governing principles arising for nature conservation, sustainable tourism development and complex stakeholder environments. Despite the limited opportunity of this study to examine the wider national and international context, the discussion facilitated an overview of the factors necessary to understand governance principles and tourism development. This article could serve as a basis for future research, especially with respect to comparative analyses of different management structures existing in Vietnam and in other contested centrally steered protected area spaces. Conservation implications: This research has shown that tourism and its development, despite a more market-oriented and decentralised policymaking, is a fragmented concept impacted by bureaucratic burden, lack of institutional capacities, top-down processes and little benefit-sharing. There is urgent need for stakeholders – public and private – to reconcile the means of protected areas for the ends (conservation) by clarifying responsibilities as well as structures and processes which determine decision-making.

Conservation equity for local communities in the process of tourism development in protected areas: A study of Jiuzhaigou Biosphere Reserve, China

Abstract China has built a large Protected Areas (PA) system with more than 2700 PAs. This has occurred in a modern, industrialized economy in a highly populated country, and the designation of PAs has had significant impacts on local people. Equitable sharing of responsibilities and benefits arising from biodiversity conservation with local/indigenous people is important, especially for countries such as China, which has millions of people living in and around PAs. This paper seeks to understand the notion of conservation equity and demonstrate how it works in practice. Perceptions of conservation equity changed over time and across development stages, where variance in the economic activity of locals (agriculture to tourism), state control, degree of input from locals, and local government implementation was observed. In order to achieve conservation equity, policymakers often recognize three aspects of equity: distribution equity, participation equity, and recognition equity. This study examines these notions of equity among the different stakeholders (central government, local government, and local people) during the process of PA establishment and tourism development. It focuses on four villages in Jiuzhaigou Biosphere Reserve (JBR) in China during three different periods of development. Interviews with local residents, village leaders, and government officers were conducted. Distribution equity was identified by participants as the most important of the three equities. Policies created by the central government usually address equity issues, but when these policies are implemented by the local government, equity is sometimes ignored. When local people engage in specific direct actions to improve their livelihood, they are able to better pursue participation equity and recognition equity.

Nature-based solutions for sustainable tourism development in protected natural areas: a review

This research aims to explore the potentials of nature-based solutions (NbS) to mitigate the socio-economic pressures rising from tourism development within protected natural areas. Paper delivers a tourism studies perspective exclusively, by reviewing publications published between 2008 and 2018 in leading tourism and hospitality journals. The content analysis results support conclusions that each of the tourism development dimensions, i.e. governance, management and conservation, capacity building, visitor management and monitoring, sustainable financing and green infrastructure, can be related to at least one of the NbS approaches via conceptual or implemented measures. Moreover, tourism development in protected areas supports the new perspective of NbS, encompassing intangible governmental interventions. Additionally, the term nature-based solutions has not been established in tourism literature yet. The literature review provides an in-depth understanding of the role of NbS in sustainable tourism development within protected natural areas and suggests a future research agenda for scholars and practitioners. The major limitation of this study is a restriction on journal selection.

Assessment of residents’ attitude towards ecotourism in KwaZulu-Natal protected areas

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to assess the attitude of residents towards ecotourism in KwaZulu-Natal protected areas. It also determined how barriers to ecotourism trips could negatively affect the success of tourism development in protected areas. The new South Africa today has widely and innovatively embraced ecotourism based largely around the protected areas. Residents’ attitude towards tourism is one of the important indicators for sustainable development in protected areas. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 212 copies of structured questionnaires were used to collect information for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the target population of the protected areas while respondents were selected from the communities based on random sampling technique. Mean scores for barriers to ecotourism trips were determined. Descriptive statistics and T-test inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Findings – The results agree with the theory of planned behaviour where intentions of residents to participate in ecotourism were directly influenced by barriers such as no time, low income and no transportation. It was also found out that preference for ecotourism trips was significantly influenced by the various barriers to ecotourism activities. High level of unemployment and high level of illiteracy were considered to be responsible for poor attitude in Kwadlangezwa with many (43.4 per cent) unwilling to support ecotourism development projects. Research limitations/implications – The research implication infers that high level of poverty and illiteracy in communities surrounding protected areas could seriously indicate non-support for development projects. Practical implications – Ecotourism-related businesses need be developed in destinations to alleviate poverty. Social implications – The moral of residents need be boosted through workshops and educative seminars. Originality/value – The study was conducted during the author’s research fellowship with the Department of Recreation and Tourism, University of Zululand, Kwadlangezwa, South Africa.

A model for predicting tourist carrying capacity and implications for fish conservation

Tourism development in protected areas inevitably induces a decline in the ecological environment and species survival. However, the degree of impact depends on target species’ environmental quality tolerance and the number of tourists. Each fish can tolerate a specific level of water quality. Water quality should not deteriorate below this level as a result of tourism. In this study, we used regression analysis and habitat suitability curve method to determine the number of tourists that could visit an area without inducing a decline in water quality that would negatively impact the survival of protected fishes. A regression model indicated that of the ten water quality parameters evaluated, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and ammonia-nitrogen were most impacted by tourists. A habitat suitability curve was produced for each target fish population and water quality parameter. These curves were used to determine suitable water quality for fish survival. The curves were then combined to determine the acceptable number of tourists for management of water quality suitable for fish survival. In order to maintain suitable water quality for the survival of Varicorhinus barbatulus, Candidia barbatus, and Acrossocheilus paradoxus, the threshold number of tourists at the study site is 3,000–3,600 people per week.

Good governance and tourism development in protected areas: The case of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, central Vietnam

Protected areas are increasingly expected to serve as a natural income-producing resource via the exploitation of recreational and touristic activities. Whilst tourism is often considered a viable option for generating income which benefits the conservation of a protected area, there are many cases in which insufficient and opaque planning hinder sustainable development, thereby reducing local benefit sharing and, ultimately, nature conservation. This article delineated and examined factors in governance which may underlie tourism development in protected areas. Based on Graham, Amos and Plumptre’s five good governance principles, a specific analysis was made of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Vietnam, which highlighted challenges in the practical implementation of governing principles arising for nature conservation, sustainable tourism development and complex stakeholder environments. Despite the limited opportunity of this study to examine the wider national and international context, the discussion facilitated an overview of the factors necessary to understand governance principles and tourism development. This article could serve as a basis for future research, especially with respect to comparative analyses of different management structures existing in Vietnam and in other contested centrally steered protected area spaces. Conservation implications: This research has shown that tourism and its development, despite a more market-oriented and decentralised policymaking, is a fragmented concept impacted by bureaucratic burden, lack of institutional capacities, top-down processes and little benefit-sharing. There is urgent need for stakeholders – public and private – to reconcile the means of protected areas for the ends (conservation) by clarifying responsibilities as well as structures and processes which determine decision-making.

Factors of visitors' satisfaction in the National park 'Skadar lake': Montenegro in marketing planning for sustainable tourism

The level of consumer satisfaction is an important issue in marketing planning activities in theoretical and practical terms. Numerous studies have focused on the examination of factors about tourist satisfaction in the context of tourism destination marketing. It is especially important to consider certain questions regarding the marketing of sustainable tourism and factors of consumer satisfaction in this process. The subject of this paper is to determine the existence of substantial differences in the factors of satisfaction of certain groups of visitors that may affect the marketing planning of various forms of supply of sustainable tourism in the National Park 'Skadar Lake' (Montenegro). Examined were: the perceived importance of the elements of the tourist destination as a factor of satisfaction, the importance of the human factor and the availability of information for the level of overall satisfaction, the impact of age, gender and ways of organising visits to the perception of satisfaction regarding general and individual offers in the tourist destination. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire with closed questions on a sample of 55 visitors. After examining the results of the research, we can provide more observations for marketing planning of offers for sustainable tourism areas such as NP 'Skadar Lake', particularly with regard to the situation analysis, marketing strategy, marketing mix activities and control of the marketing plan. Marketing planning of sustainable tourism offers must be based on the desired relation between meeting the needs of consumers and taking into account the limitations of tourism development in protected areas. The key issue is to choose the institutional approach which provides a comprehensive marketing plan.

Measuring the sustainability of tourism development in protected areas: an indicator-based approach

The monitoring of an appropriate indicator set may provide useful directions and guidelines in order to assure a harmonious co–existence of tourism activities and ecological processes in protected areas. However, when developing a synthetic indicator there is always a balance to be struck between ease/cost of measurement and policy significance. The present paper attempts to simplify the measurement of tourism sustainability by proposing a two–step approach for developing a set of sustainable indicators under data limitations and financial constraints. An initial set of indicators is created through literature review and implementation of good practices in the selection process. The final set of indicators is specified based on stakeholders' involvement and multi–criteria analysis. The empirical application of this method was actually focused on tourism sustainability in the national park of Lake Kerkini (Serres, Greece). Nevertheless, the proposed approach can also be effectively applied in any protected area, park or nature reserve.

Hiking tourism development in protected areas and nature hazard prevention in the Lake Baikal natural territory

Since 2010, recreational development has been permitted in strict nature reserves (zapovedniks in Russia), the most highly protected category of Russian Federal Protected Areas. As zapovedniks comply with the 1b IUCN category for wilderness preservation, human activities within the reserves have been limited and, consequently, there has been little research on the natural hazard impact for tourism. The type of recreational use permitted in the territories and their buffer zones is called Educational Tourism. It is identified as “as a specialized type of ecological tourism where the main goal is an introduction to natural and cultural attractions”. Hiking is seen as one of these suitable types of tourism within the territories of zapovedniks, due to its low impact on natural features. As hiking trails are laid through natural landscapes, it is possible that natural disasters can both damage the infrastructure and cause fatal injuries for visitors. During the planning stages of trail construction, natural hazard monitoring should be conducted. Baikalskii Nature Biosphere Zapovednik in the Lake Baikal region is used as a model territory where scientific research and engineering are employed to better develop hiking tourism. Along with the monitoring of natural processes, several scenarios for trail planning, construction, and maintenance are being analyzed under the threat of mud slides, avalanches and floods.

European Charter parks—A growing network for sustainable tourism development in protected areas

Currently there are 107 protected areas in 13 European countries certified and working under the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas (ECST). Annually, some 10-15 new candidates strive for the Charter Award Certificate. The Charter methodology has been under continuous development since 2000 including definition of the criteria, harmonisation of the target and action standards, and giving more attention to the benefit opportunities and options of the Charter process. In this development process, the common framework has been the CBD sustainable tourism guidelines and their application in the European context. The other major focus has been in developing benefit indicators. This study analyses how the ECST criteria cover the basic CBD framework expressed in the CBD Aichi Targets, how successfully the sustainable development indicators have been developed, and how they can be used for verifying the system benefits. According to our analyses the ECST methodology strongly supports most of the Aichi Targets, out of 20 Targets, 11 directly and five indirectly. The analyses of key indicators for the social and economic benefits are based on case studies from the European Charter Network, especially in the Baltic Sea Region in Europe.