Road Tourism Research Articles

How African Ungulates Respond to Tourist Vehicles in Kruger National Park

ABSTRACTManagers of protected areas need to balance how they use or preserve their resources, especially regarding ‘road ecology’. This study focuses on Kruger National Park's (KNP) common ungulates’ response to tourist vehicles. We answered the following questions for impala, zebra, giraffe, blue wildebeest, greater kudu and steenbok: What mediates animal flight and flight distance from a vehicle? How much of KNP is affected by roads? Are ungulates using or avoiding roads? We sampled 55.9% of KNP's tourist roads, where we approached animals and determined whether and how far they fled. We georeferenced sightings and estimated the amount of land area along KNP's tourist roads where animals would be expected to flee from vehicles. Of 517 animal sightings, Impala were sighted most (263) and steenbok least (32). Impala had the highest flight propensity (42.6%) and wildebeest lowest (13%). Steenbok were found closest to the road (22.13 m) and wildebeest furthest (77.6 m). Impala had the closest tolerance distance (16.63 m), with zebra furthest (44.74 m). Impala fled the least distance (9.93 m) and zebra fled furthest (24.52 m). Binary logistic regressions (BLRs) showed that all species fled more consistently when closer to the road. The amount of KNP affected by animal flight based on BLRs was largest for zebra (2.32% of the park) and smallest for kudu (0.84%). Impala used the first 10 m of the roadside more than expected and 10–20 m from the road less. KNP's ungulates are habituated to vehicles since flight propensity was low, distribution analysis showed no‐road avoidance, flight distance was short, and animals > 50 m from the road generally do not flee. Given the amount of KNP that is already affected by vehicle traffic, as tourism increases, the land solely devoted to wildlife will necessarily decrease. This study aims to provide information for the best management of roads and traffic in KNP.

Проблемы доступности и комфортности объектов туристической инфраструктуры для развития автомобильного туризма в России

This study examines the potential for the development of automobile tourism in Russia and its surrounding difficulties, focusing on the convenience and accessibility of tourist facilities. The analysis conducted includes a thorough dissection of the theoretical framework and consideration of the practical elements of the industry. The main objective is to improve and modernize road travel conditions in the country through a comprehensive approach. The paper analyzes existing data and conducts a comprehensive assessment that considers the many factors that influence road tourism. Key problems identified include limited development of the road network, regional differences in infrastructure and a lack of quality services in remote parts of Russia. The challenges faced by international tourism are also raised, including strict visa and customs procedures that prevent foreign road tourists from visiting Russia. It is highlighted that solving these problems will require efforts on the part of both the government and the private sector, in the form of partnership programs to improve infrastructure and services. Specific measures are proposed to develop the transportation network, improve road safety, stimulate rural and ecotourism, and support small businesses in tourism. At the same time, the integration of the latest technologies and the establishment of international tourism are emphasized. Emphasis is placed on the importance of environmental considerations for sustainable tourism development, given the growing interest in road travel in Russia. This study aims to develop strategies that can lead to the successful development of automobile tourism, enriching the economic and cultural life of the country.

The silk roads and shared heritage in Europe: Beyond ‘China to Rome’

This article offers critical engagement with ideas of shared heritage, considering representation of the silk roads in Europe as a counterpoint to their representation in China. Often cast as a ‘bridge’ between ‘East and West’ or ‘China and Rome’ (e.g. UNESCO’s description of the Silk Road Heritage Corridors), the silk roads are regularly depicted as an abstraction of interconnection. And as an abstraction, the idea of shared heritage is often emptied of its potential to communicate greater understanding of the past, respect for cultural difference and co-dependency, or to invite reflection on forms of community constituted through shared histories. Exploring the Sinicization of the silk roads, we argue that much of the rhetoric of shared heritage is deceptively exclusive. We turn to consider the depiction of these histories of trade within Europe, offering a discursive analysis of metatexts around the United Nations World Tourism Organization/European Commission Western Silk Road tourism project, with some discussion of the representation of ancient trade at different European museums. We argue that an enduring legacy of the silk roads’ romanticized image and the transcription of this into commercial tourism inhibit their potential as a useful metanarrative for the future because it fails to communicate the complexity of the past, particularly histories of violence and inequality. However, considering recent depiction of the amber roads, we argue that histories of trade can nevertheless be mobilized towards a more nuanced understanding of the past and a critical reflection on the past and present.

Subgrade Feasibility Analysis for Tourist Access Roads in Senggani Gorge, Tulungagung Using Laboratory CBR Testing

Highways have an important role in the economic and tourism sectors, providing easy accessibility and accelerating regional growth. Senggani Gorge, a tourist attraction in Nglurup Hamlet, Sentang District, Tulungagung Regency, is the main attraction with the charm of waterfalls and natural coffee plantations in the highlands. However, accessibility constraints arise because the path to the tourist attraction is still slippery and bumpy clay. Clay soil conditions pose access difficulties, so more research is needed to understand the potential use of clay soil as a base layer of road pavement. This study focused on a research system that involved soil sampling on the access road to Senggani Gorge. Experimental methods were used to evaluate the effect of using clay subgrades on such tourist road access. The laboratory CBR test was conducted to test the strength of clay subgrade in road pavement construction, with the main aim to determine the impact of its use on tourist access to Senggani Gorge in Tulungagung. The results showed the percentage of CBR in collision variations 10, 25, and 56, as well as a comparison with research in Nglurup Hamlet which reached a CBR value of 27%. These findings are expected to provide a dimension of comparison and generalization of results, broadening understanding of the use of clay soils as road construction materials in various locations.

The post-COVID-19 road-based tourism market: Negotiation of travel constraints

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) not only transformed people’s choice of travel mode but also resulted in travel constraints and related behaviour. This study investigated travel constraints and constraint negotiation in post-COVID-19 road-based tourism in Indonesia. An online questionnaire survey was administered to Indonesian road tourists including self-drive tourists between May to July 2022. The resulting 510 completed questionnaires were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. Road trips were more popular than flights during the recovery stage of COVID-19. Intrapersonal travel constraints were the largest problem for road-based tourism. This research advances the understanding of road trip travel behaviour in Indonesia and travel constraints after a crisis. The study applies the constraint negotiation model in a road-based travel context. Our study is among the first to combine road tourism psychology and tourism crisis/disaster management in the context of road-based tourism, which may be useful to policymakers and to tourism industry stakeholders in general.

Analysis on the Development Prospect of Low-altitude Tourism in Hunan Province

As one of China's popular tourist provinces, Hunan has a unique geographical environment and rich tourism resources, as well as colorful landscapes and sufficient product portfolio. With the improvement of people's living conditions, the ways people choose to travel are also diversified. People are no longer satisfied with the conventional road tourism, at this time, low-altitude tourism is driven by policies and needs, began to develop rapidly, all over the country began to promote the development of low-altitude tourism, and the aviation industry is booming, China's low-altitude tourism in recent years began to prevail. However, under the prevalence of low-altitude tourism, it is still necessary to proceed from the actual situation, according to the geographical environment and cultural needs of their own province to develop, otherwise it will face huge risks. In the face of the current development trend of low-altitude tourism, Hunan Province began to comply with the requirements of The Times, rapidly develop low-altitude tourism, constantly optimize the corresponding service environment, explore the construction of pilot bases, and thus enrich the types of tourism products. Based on the current changes in Hunan's tourism transportation mode and local tourism resources, this paper discusses and analyzes the status quo and trend of low-altitude tourism in Hunan through literature method, questionnaire analysis and swot analysis, and then puts forward targeted marketing development strategies.

Analysis of Drainage Points on Red Tourist Road of Li Dazhao's Former Residence

This article is located in the Tangshan Leting County second-class Highway. The total length of the designed road is about 3514 meters and the designed speed is 60 km/h. Vertical section design is to design vertical slope and vertical curve, and calculate the vertical curve elements, pay attention to the combination of horizontal and vertical design; Cross-section design is to determine the shape of cross-section, carry out super-high design and calculate earth-rock work under the condition of considering many factors. This paper analyzes the method of constant gradient arch in cross section and longitudinal section and the method of rotation around the edge of central divider, and mainly analyzes the positive significance of using these two methods to pavement drainage, as well as the impact on the road vehicle operation.

Experimental Study on Pore Pressure Variation and Erosion Stability of Sandy Slope Model under Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation

With the development of a free trade port on Hainan Island, the construction of tourist roads around the island is currently underway. However, the weather conditions on Hainan Island, which include strong typhoons and rainstorms, pose challenges for the construction of highway-cutting slopes on the coastal weak sandy terraces. These slopes are susceptible to sand loss and erosion from rainfall. To address this issue, MICP green spray irrigation solidification technology is used to strengthen the sandy cutting, and pore water pressure monitoring is carried out on the slope model during MICP solidification and rainfall scour. Combined with the model pore water pressure and flow slip failure pattern, a dynamic analysis was conducted. The results show that MICP sprinkler irrigation technology can solidify the surface of the slope model in a short time, and after three sets of rotation reinforcement, the model achieved a cementation depth of 4 cm, with a well-reinforced surface and closely connected sand samples. Under the erosion effect of simulated rainfall intensity, the sand loss of the slope was weakened, without damage to the sand binding, and the integrity was enhanced. The cementation between the sand grains facilitated the conversion of most of the rainfall into runoff. However, despite these efforts, the slope eventually slid after 150 s. During the sliding process, the leading edge of the slope model lost sand and became unloaded, and the failure mode was graded a creep slip failure. Finally, the slope was divided into several blocks due to the continuous expansion of cracks following the slope failure. The erosion stability of the sandy slope under heavy rains was optimized and the sand loss was prevented effectively. This study proposes a new method of MICP remediation techniques that serve as a new test basis for the practical application of MICP technology in engineering projects.

World Heritage Site Tourism and Destination Loyalty along the Silk Road: A Study of U.S. Travelers in Uzbekistan

This study aims to examine the determinants of destination loyalty toward World Heritage Sites (WHSs) along Silk Road tourism in Uzbekistan. It could enable the profiling of inbound tourists visiting WHSs and identification of the important determinants of destination loyalty. The results of this study could present valuable empirical evidence of Silk Road tourism among inbound travelers in Uzbekistan. An online survey was conducted to collect data from U.S. residents who experienced Silk Road tourism in Uzbekistan. A total of 419 questionnaires were used for this study. The present study explored the determinants of destination loyalty among inbound travelers who had visited WHSs along Silk Road destinations in Uzbekistan. Regarding the effect of length of stay on destination loyalty, travelers who visit for 7–13 days are inclined to show higher destination loyalty than the other groups. Free independent travelers to cultural and heritage sites showed a higher level of destination loyalty than other traveler types. The results indicated that travelers who reported visiting the Historic Centre of Bukhara in the Province of Bukhara and Western Tien-Shan in the Province of Tashkent showed higher destination loyalty. The proposed model consists of travel characteristics, WHS destinations, and demographic characteristics. This study provides several important theoretical and managerial implications. Moreover, this study can contribute to knowledge regarding WHSs and increase sustainable destination management to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Perencanaan Geometrik Dan Perkerasan Lentur Jalan Wisata Lut Atas Waq Pondok Sayur Kabupaten Bener Meriah, Aceh

Jalan Wisata Lut Atas Bener Meriah Aceh is a road leading to the tourist attraction of the lake, located at 2,100 meters above sea level. The lake called Lut Atas located in Bener Meriah, Aceh, exactly in Waq Pondok Sayur Village, Bukit District. The current status of the Lut Atas Tourist Road is still in the form of a rock and gravel cover, making it difficult to access the tourist area. The purpose of this study is to calculate the throughput capacity and road age plan on the Lut Atas Tourism section, knowing the required soft pavement thickness on the Lut Atas Tourism section with the manual road design method. 2017, knows how to climb slopes and bends to ensure safety and comfort for road users. Based on the results of the 4-day LHR survey, the total number of vehicles is 125 vehicles. Calculation results of pavement thickness of Upper Lut tourist road Waq Pondok Sayur village from STA 0+000 - 3+000, with pavement thickness AC-WC 40 mm, AC-BC 60 mm, aggregate layer 400mm material (LFA) and optional 100mm backfill. The Lut Atas Tourist Trail has a geometric road plan to guide the route according to the plan of 3 bends, namely PI1 Spiral Curve (SCS), PI2 Turn Spiral Circle (SCS), Turn PI3 Spiral bend (SS). The section of Thuong Lut Tourist Road has an expected longitudinal profile of 4 vertical curves with the following details: PPV1 (vertical intersection centre) vertical convex type, PPV2 (vertical intersection centre) concave longitudinal type, PPV3 (vertical intersection centre) concave longitudinal type, PPV4 (vertical intersection centre) convex longitudinal type

Establishing Landscape Networks Based on Visual Quality and Ecological Resistance: A Case Study in Tianmeng Scenic Spot, China

Forest-based scenic spots have received widespread attention for their landscape aesthetics and ecological value, but the rapid growth of tourism and landscape exploitation make it challenging to balance human recreational needs, landscape quality, and ecological stability. This study aimed to evaluate, quantify, and grade landscape quality from the point of view of subjective human aesthetic needs as well as objective landscape visual sensitivity. After the selection of high-quality landscape viewpoints as sources, the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model was used to screen the optimal paths for connectivity among viewpoints with consideration of ecological resistance. High-quality landscape viewpoints, optimal paths, and ecological-resistance surfaces constructed the landscape network for sustainable development. The results showed that the landscape quality of viewpoints in Tianmeng Scenic Spot was not good; only 32.4% of these viewpoints had good performance of both landscape aesthetics and landscape visual sensitivity. In the analysis of ecological-resistance surfaces, the proportion of very-high resistance areas and high resistance areas was 32.9%, and these were mostly distributed in the main tourist roads and their buffer areas around the northwest of Tianmeng Mountain Scenic Spot. Eleven landscape core viewpoints and six secondary viewpoints, all with high landscape aesthetics, were selected as high-quality visual landscapes, and then based on the ecological-resistance surfaces, 11 core landscape-dissemination paths and 6 secondary landscape-dissemination paths were identified, respectively, using the MCR model. This method could provide scientific decision support to enhance the effectiveness of viewpoints as well as sustainable landscape planning for development.

Study on ecological environment carrying capacity of forest community near tourist roads in Lishan Nature Reserve based on tourism disturbance

Study on ecological environment carrying capacity of forest community near tourist roads in Lishan Nature Reserve based on tourism disturbance

Anthropogenic Influence on Protected Areas: A Case Study of Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (ATR), Chhattisgarh, India

India’s broad network of protected areas, which encompasses 4.93% of the country’s geographical area, is exposed to immense anthropogenic pressures that can create an imbalance and also hinder the prime objective of wildlife conservation and protection. The present study assesses some of these problems in relation to the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (ATR). The main anthropogenic influence in ATR is the presence of eighteen core villages, five buffer villages, and 49 fringe villages in the periphery of the reserve area. The population density of the core zone was higher (16.0 people/km2) as compared to the buffer zone (7.41 people/km2). Another important disturbance in the protected area is state highway 8 which bisects the entire core zone into two halves. This highway also connects the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh and there is the continuous movement of traffic, which hampers the smooth movement of wild animals. ATR also has a wide network of tourist roads of 192 km passing through the core zone. The average population density of livestock in ATR is relatively high compared to the average population of wild ungulates. It creates competition between wild ungulates for food, and they are also under constant threat of infectious diseases. The livestock depredation by apex predators is one of the major reasons for man-wildlife conflict in ATR. The cattle kill incidences by both the apex predator (tiger and leopard) was 378 during the period of three years (2015 to 2018) and these incidences were recorded more in the core zone as compared to the buffer zone. In the present study, anthropogenic effects on ATR have been studied and evaluated. It concludes that for effective management and conservation of tigers in ATR, these aspects need to be considered. To restore the tiger population in ATR, there must be a proper balance between human (anthropogenic) approaches and conservation benefits for the effective sustainability of the protected areas.

Ecotourist trail-use affects the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of mammals in a protected area: lessons for conservation management.

Ecotourism, by definition, aims to engage peoples' interest in wildlife and the environment. The use of tourist roads and trails to access sites within protected areas (PAs) can detrimentally affect the behavior and distribution of species. The way mammals respond to anthropogenic pressures may differ across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic groups; nevertheless, how ecotourist trail-use affects these different diversity remains under-investigated. Here, we assessed 6 metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity for a mammal community in a PA in central China, recording how Trail use (using Trail type as a proxy) and habitat variables affected sightings and signs of mammals across 60 replicate 0.5 km transects. We then examined how Trail use affected the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity indices of species (>1 kg). Using generalized liner mixed modeling, we identified that more used trail types had a greater adverse effect on all diversity richness indices than did less used trail types. Consequently, tourist pressure was associated with a general tendency to homogenize the site's mammal community. In contrast, the effects of Trail Types on all diversity evenness indices were non-significant. Furthermore, more developed and more heavily used trail types had a greater, significant negative effect on taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic richness, whereas these richness indices were unaffected by minor trail types, used less intensively. As a general principle, lower biodiversity indices reduce ecosystem resilience, and so it is vital to better understand these responses to balance public access against biodiversity management in PAs.

A Further Study and Assessment on Geographic Information System: From Highway Ecological Landscape Environment Angle of View

With the development of the national economy, our country’s highway construction is developing in a more advanced and humane direction. On the basis of meeting traffic needs, people have begun to pay more attention to the construction of highway landscapes. Based on the understanding and integration of domestic and foreign landscape evaluation system research, this paper constructs a new type of highway landscape evaluation model and selects Zhangjiakou, one of the co-host cities of the Winter Olympics, to analyze and verify the model. We use the designed evaluation model to analyze and evaluate the three highways in the Zhangjiakou area. First, based on the analytic hierarchy process, the combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation indicators is selected, and then, the GIS geographic information system is used to obtain the basic data of the quantitative indicators and the questionnaire method is used. The grade evaluation of three highways is realized, and the optimization measures and construction strategies for the landscape quality along the highway are proposed. The results show that the research results of this evaluation system are of great significance to the landscape construction along the line, the protection of landscape resources, and the development of tourist roads.

Hot Cars, Dusty Roads, Clown Motels

Abstract During the past 250 years, American road tourism has spanned a continent and reflected numerous cultural and economic modalities. This article explores specific moments and aspects of road tourism from the prerevolutionary era through the twentieth century. Each era noted encompassed specific aspects of technology, class distinction, and even aesthetic appreciation of nature coded to a time and place. For instance, prerevolutionary tourism was a largely regional affair, with wealthy elites taking extended trips to upstate New York to enjoy the beauty of the natural world. Mid-twentieth-century automobile tourism, however, reflected an emergent middle class, with new destinations throughout the American West made possible by widespread car ownership. This article explores road tourism with a specific focus on how the transition to the automobile precipitated the rise of the motel. Route 66 is examined as the apotheosis of road tourism, and two motels—the Wigwam Motel and the Clown Motel—for their employment of nostalgia, cultural appropriation, and the carnivalesque.

Degradation of a protected mountain area by tourist traffic: case study of the Tatra National Park, Poland

Mountain protected areas are characterized by high biodiversity, which makes it a great challenge for managers to maintain a balance between their use and the stability of natural ecosystems. Maintaining that balance is particularly difficult in areas with high tourism pressure. The expected volume of tourist traffic should be considered at the planning stage of the tourist infrastructure development process. Insufficient capacity of tourist infrastructure can lead to environmental degradation, which is hard, or at times impossible, to repair. In our research, we identified patterns of tourist footpath and road functioning in an environmentally protected area with high volumes of tourist traffic. Data from geomorphologic mapping was analyzed in order to identify tourist footpath and road structures in the Tatra National Park (TNP). Fieldwork was conducted in several stages between 1995 and 2019. Orthophotomaps from the years 1977, 2009, 2017 and 2019 were used to identify and compare degraded zones along selected tourist footpaths. Degraded zones were defined as areas surrounding a footpath or tourist road with a mean width larger than or equal to 10 meters, with heavily damaged or completely removed vegetation and exposed, weathered cover, where geomorphic processes that would not take place under normal conditions are readily observable. The examined tourist footpaths and roads vary in terms of their morphometric parameters. Research has shown important differences between mean and maximum footpath width as well as maximum incision depth for the forest zone versus the subalpine and alpine zones. A lack of differences in these parameters was noted between the alpine and subalpine zones. Research has shown that an increase in the surface area of degraded zones found adjacent to tourist footpaths occurred in all the studied geo-ecological zones in the study period. However, the largest increase occurred atop wide ridgelines found in the alpine zone. Degraded zones may be an indication of exceeding the tourist carrying capacity of a mountain tourist area. Mass tourism in TNP contributes to the formation of degraded zones adjacent to footpaths, whose continuous evolution may lead to irreversible changes in local relief.

A Novel Urban Tourism Path Planning Approach Based on a Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm

One of the most important variables that leads to effective individual and group tours is the tourism route planning approach, which enables tourists to engage with tourism with ease, speed, and safety. However, current methods of designing tourist routes have some glitches, such as relying only on external objectives to find the best route. In this paper, a novel urban tourism path planning method based on a multiobjective genetic algorithm is proposed. The main goal of this paper is to enhance the accuracy of the genetic algorithm (GA) by adopting new parameters and selecting the optimal tourism path by combining external and internal tourist site potentials. Moreover, the GA and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) were used in our proposed approach to evaluate urban tourism route planning under multiple conflicting objectives. To visualize and execute the proposed approach, the geographic information system (GIS) environment was used. Our suggested approach has been applied to develop the tourist road network of Chengdu City in China. Compared with existing tourism path planning approaches, our proposed approach is more accurate and straightforward than other approaches used to choose routes.

Study on Tourism Economic Ecology of Provincial Capital Cities along the Silk Road

The Silk Road tourism area master plan (2008-2020) launched by the National Tourism Administration in 2007 takes the China section of the desert oasis silk road as the planning object, involving Henan Province, Shaanxi Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Xinjiang production and Construction Corps. Xi'an, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi are all excellent tourist cities accepted by the National Tourism Administration, and they are also hot tourist cities in their provinces. Therefore, this paper selects the five provincial capital cities as the research object, and investigates the coordination degree of the tourism economic system and the ecological environment system of these cities, which is helpful to clarify the problems existing in the current tourism development and ecological environment protection of these cities. These studies can also provide reference for the relevant departments to formulate tourism development and ecological environment protection policies, and also have a certain reference for other cities along the silk road.

Rock slope stability evaluation using kinematic and kinetic methods along the Kamyaran-Marivan road, west of Iran

Interest in rock slope stability in mountainous regions has increased greatly in recent years. This issue has become a topic of major interest for geoscientists and engineering professionals, as well as for private citizens and local administrators, in many parts of the world. This paper evaluates the stability of seven rock slopes along the Kamyaran-Marivan tourist road, Kurdistan province, Iran, using various methods. The two main reasons for performing this research were to determine whether different methods of stability analysis provide the same results, and to determine how different factors such as the presence of water, tension cracks, and seismic forces affect the stability of these rock slopes. Firstly, field investigations were performed to obtain the engineering characteristics of the rock masses, discontinuities, and intact rocks of the slopes. Secondly, laboratory tests were carried out on rock samples obtained from the slopes, to determine the engineering properties of the intact rocks. Then for each rock slope, the contour diagram of discontinuities and slope face was drawn in the Dips v.5.1 software environment, and the failure mechanism was determined based on the kinematic or stereographic method. Next, the factors of safety of the rock slopes were calculated using the limit equilibrium method, based on the failure mechanisms resulting from the kinematic method. The accuracy of the results obtained by these two methods was investigated using SWedge v.4.0 software. The results indicated that four rock slopes have a potential for plane, wedge, and toppling failure, and three others are stable. Also, it was found that the stability of the studied rock slopes decreases greatly in the presence of water, tension cracks, and seismic forces.