Visitor Management In Protected Areas Research Articles

Agent-Based Modelling in Visitor Management of Protected Areas

The research was motivated by the growing importance of visitor management in protected areas, which can be based on knowledge management, system modelling of processes and phenomena, and a deeper knowledge of the experience of visitors in connection with the concept of psychological carrying capacity. The work builds on previous publications and research by the authors, focused on the optimization of tourism impacts, visitor management and the development of the theory and applicability of the concept of carrying capacity. It emphasizes the overview analysis of the possibilities of using agent-based modelling and visualization of visitor flows in protected areas. The analysis of suitable sources was based on the PRISMA method, which showed the main research directions for the use of the agent-based approach in visitor management. For the practical application of modelling, the NetLogo environment was chosen, in which the visitor flows of the model area were simulated. The visitor attendance was evaluated in relation to the psychological carrying capacity. Subsequently, visitor management measures were implemented in the model, and repeated simulations of visitor attendance, based on monitored flows, were run for a specific location around Oheb Castle (the Železné hory/Iron Mountains, Bohemia). The main result is the innovative use of agent-based modelling in visitor management in the context of visitor experience, visitor satisfaction and psychological carrying capacity. The contribution of the presented research is also the proposal of future research directions for more accurate use of psychological carrying capacity in visitor management.

Sustainable recreation and tourism: Making sense of diverse conceptualizations and management paradigms

Sustainability in the context of visitor management in protected areas is a notion that is widely employed and variously defined. Most definitions of sustainable recreation/tourism employ variations of the three pillars (ecology, economy, social equity) introduced in the 1987 Brundtland Report. In a survey of 217 recreation and tourism professionals and researchers, respondents provided working definition of sustainable recreation or sustainable tourism . Qualitative responses were systematically coded and analyzed to unearth common themes. Results suggest that notions of sustainability vary based on geography and institutional affiliation, reminding us that sustainability is a fluid construct that can be deployed to achieve agency objectives or in response to internal or external forces. Definitions of sustainable recreation and tourism are becoming more multi-faceted, nuanced, and layered – moving away from a vantage point that privileges environmental objectives to a socio-ecological systems framework that recognizes the interconnected web of socio-cultural, local-global, institutional, and relational, processes. Managerial capacity and resource governance are of increasing relevance for sustainable development. The following key questions are crucial for the protected area management in the context of recreation and nature-based tourism: - How can it be designed to enhance healthy ecosystems and meet conservation goals? - How can it contribute to healthy communities and social institutions? - How can it enhance cultural revitalization and protection of cultural elements? - How can it contribute to poverty alleviation, equal job opportunities and a fair distribution of benefits? - How can it be conducted in a reasonable, cost effective and efficient way for management agencies? - How can it foster partnership and collective capacities? - How can it promote divers visitor experiences, visitor awareness and learning?

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.

The Concept of Comprehensive Tracking Software to Support Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas

Visitor management in protected areas requires knowledge of visitors—their numbers, time-space curves, motivation, behavior, and satisfaction as an important input. The systematic analysis, comparison, and synthesis of visitor monitoring methods, with the focus on methods for individual tracking, is conceptualized in the form of a mind map. The map serves as a basis for managed dialogues with experts from several protected areas in the Czech Republic. The theory and experts’ practical insight are processed by the means of systems analysis with the aim to formulate (1) a guideline for the integration of heterogeneous data about visitors and (2) the concept of an advanced intelligent software tour guide with an individual tracking function. The proposed concept aims to achieve comprehensive monitoring of visitors’ time-space behavior in the context of their socio-demographics, goals, preferences, feelings, and the resulting impressions. In addition, the visitor flows may be interactively influenced in a personalized way by the application, leading to better individual impressions and satisfaction, with full respect for the carrying capacity of the territory. Related challenges, such as the stimulation of visitors to use the application, are discussed. The ongoing experimental implementation of the concept as a part of a comprehensive destination application is mentioned at the end.

Does visitors to Kgalagadi Transfrontier park have different interpretation needs?

A park such as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa is mandated by the Protected Areas Act (57 of 2003) to offer visitor facilities to boost the visitor's experience and conserve the environment. It is against this background, as well as the recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site of the park, that it identified interpretation services as a suitable means to fulfil the mandate. However, in order to do so, it is necessary to establish the market's demands for interpretation services. The aim of this study was therefore to identify different markets for different interpretation needs at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The cluster analysis revealed three markets and was profiled by means of cross tabulations of socio-demographic characteristics, travel motives to visit the park and interpretation preferences. The results suggest that park visitors differ in terms of interpretation preferences and therefore require different managerial and marketing approaches. Management implicationsThe research contributes to visitor management in protected areas in the following way: First, the main motives for visitors to this park were identified, which will assist in the development of products and marketing of the park. Second, the most preferred forms, media, topics, and extent of information in interpretation were identified, which will assist management with interpretation development and management. Third, the study segmented visitors based on the aforementioned interpretation topics, providing product-specific information. Part of this was the new taxonomy for interpretation needs that was developed, namely I.C.E. (I – Interested, C – Committed, E – Engaged), which will segment the market to the park and reveal their interpretation preferences.

Reasons for visitor dissatisfaction with wildlife tourism experiences at highly visited national parks in Sri Lanka

Viewing of wildlife is a significant component of Sri Lanka's tourism industry with foreign visitation accounting for the larger share of income derived from national parks. Visitors posting reviews of their experiences in social media and travel websites is a growing global phenomenon. Such reviews serve as reliable and unbiased information sources for potential travellers as well as contemporary travel researchers. This study examined the major causes of visitor dissatisfaction during wildlife tourism experiences at five highly visited NPs in Sri Lanka. We examined 206 negative reviews posted in the travel website TripAdvisor. Analysis found 15 major causes of visitor dissatisfaction with nearly 75% of negative reviews linked to park management related problems, with the remainder stressing tour-operator related issues. Our findings raise concerns that require urgent attention by park management in order to foster more positive visitor experiences and sustainable tourism in popular Sri Lankan national parks Management implications•Managers need to ‘hear’ what tourists are saying with a view to enhancing visitor experiences and improving visitor management in protected areas.•Major causes of visitor dissatisfaction are directly under the control of park management or tour operators. Ethical conduct, legal compliance, visitor safety and communication are key areas that need attention.•Overcrowded conditions and congestion at wildlife sightings requires the introduction of maximum limits to reduce the number of vehicles entering high visitation parks.•Necessary actions include improving professional standards of tour operators and guides via education and training for internal and contracted staff

Visitor management in protected areas

Abstract Visitor management is often too narrowly connected with mass/individual tourism in protected areas. Generally, visitor management can be used in any destination for mass and individual tourism also in connection with optimization of visitor flows, visitor concentration, and optimization of visitor impacts in a very broad sense. This paper focuses on the introduction of the theoretical concept of visitor management; it discusses different visitor management approaches and their principles, compares these approaches, and shortly describes typical visitor management tools. The discussion focuses on the appropriate use of chosen selected tools, mainly carrying capacity approaches, zoning and optimization of tourism infrastructure and monitoring, including tourism sustainability indicators. The computer simulation and prediction of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the phenomena in destination is also shortly described. The typical application of visitor management in protected areas is described as a case study and a set of recommendations for visitor management are declared.

Visitor management in protected areas of the periphery: Polar perspectives

Visitor management, traditionally, has been concerned largely with visitor impacts and emphasis has been placed on managing negative consequences of tourism. This has involved controlling visitor numbers, attempting to modify visitor behaviour and also modifying the resource. These approaches can be divided into ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ categories (Kuo, 2002). ‘Hard’ visitor management approaches involve physical management, regulatory management and economic management. ‘Soft’ approaches make use of education and interpretation. While the approach of managing impacts has its merits, it has tended to assume that negative impacts are inevitable. This approach has tended to ignore the role of visitor experience in relation to visitor management. This article discusses a number of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches to visitor management, focusing specifically on interpretation and self-regulation, using codes of conduct. These approaches are examined within the context of protected natural areas in Antarctica and the Arctic Region. These two remote regions, which until recently have not been significantly exploited for tourism development, share geographical similarities, particularly in terms of climate and environment and have large areas of protected landscape, although their human geography is different. Comparisons are made between the various visitor management approaches deployed in these peripheral regions at opposite ends of the earth and the article also provides a critical evaluation of codes of conduct and interpretation.

Visitor Management in Protected Areas: From ‘Hard’ to ‘Soft’ Approaches?

Historically, visitor management in protected areas has been concerned largely with visitor impacts and emphasis has been placed on managing negative impacts. This has involved controlling visitor numbers, attempting to modify visitor behaviour and also modifying the resource. These approaches can be divided into ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ categories (Ling Kuo, 2002). ‘Hard’ visitor management approaches involve physical management, regulatory management and economic management. ‘Soft’ approaches make use of education and interpretation. While the approach of managing impacts has its merits, and has met with some success, it has tended to assume that the visitor is ‘guilty until proven innocent’ (Mason, 2002). Such an approach has also tended to ignore the role of visitor experience in relation to visitor management. This paper critically evaluates a number of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ approaches to visitor management, focusing specifically on interpretation and codes of conduct in protected natural areas in New Zealand, Australia and Antarctica. It argues that the traditional approach of managing visitor impacts should be supported by a far greater emphasis on managing visitor experience. It proposes that placing emphasis on managing visitor experience should allow a more holistic perspective to be employed, in which the visitor can be put within a context that includes both the destination community and the environment visited. Such an approach, it is argued, should not only lead to better informed and behaved visitors, but a reduction in negative visitor impacts.