Ecotourism Benefits and the Role of Local Guides at Masoala National Park,Madagascar

An investigation of ecotourism at Masoala National Park, a forested coastal area in northeastern Madagascar and the country’s largest national park, focused on ecotourism benefits and the role of local guides in promoting conservation awareness. Interviews, participant observation, and archival research were used to investigate the park’s guide association, resident attitudes toward Masoala National Park, and ecotourism as a method of park and rural development. Many factors make Masoala National Park a prime ecotourist destination, including the possibility of viewing its endemic species, such as red-ruffed lemurs. The park has a strong local guides’ association and currently combines conservation and development through a programme that returns a portion of tourism revenue to local communities. Actual or potential benefits received from the park, including ecotourism revenues, were found to influence the positive and negative perceptions of Masoala National Park held by residents living in the park periphery. However, limitations on ecotourism development include poor infrastructure and difficult access, a challenging climate including a hurricane season, and past national political instability.     

Local discourses and international initiatives: sociocultural sustainability of tourism in Oulanka National Park,Finland

National parks have become important tourist attractions and tools for regional development. New international initiatives, such as PAN (Protected Area Network) Parks in Europe, now promote sustainable tourism in protected areas. This paper examines the sociocultural sustainability of tourism perceived by local stakeholders of Oulanka National Park in northeastern Finland. The central question concerns the role of PAN Parks certification in community and tourism development. Four discourses were identified, based on 40 semi-structured interviews exploring different views on sociocultural development pertaining to tourism in the national park: (1) integrating nature-based tourism and conservation, (2) defending the rights of local people, (3) stressing the economic utilization of nature and (4) accepting tourism development and the national park. Although local stakeholders mostly have a positive perception of tourism in the park, it cannot be concluded whether the park facilitates development in a sustainable manner or not. Key problems identified are lack of participation opportunities and contradictions with traditional subsistence economies. The various positions of stakeholders in these discourses tend to influence their views on sustainability. Findings imply the necessity to monitor the distribution of benefits and burdens of park development holistically to multiple stakeholders.     

Perceptions of tourism revenue sharing impacts on Volcanoes National Park,Rwanda: a Sustainable Livelihoods framework

Tourism revenue sharing (TRS) has become a popular strategy for integrated wildlife conservation and rural development in Africa. In Rwanda, 5% of tourism revenue is invested annually in communities adjacent to protected areas. However, the conservation impact of the TRS strategy has been challenged. Previous studies have revealed structural constraints of TRS, which partially explain TRS shortfalls. The TRS application is complex and needs deeper understanding of both conceptual and structural constraints. In this paper, we examine local perceptions of TRS, and use the Sustainable Livelihoods framework to conceptually understand the livelihood capability, equity and sustainability constraints of TRS at Volcanoes National Park (VNP). Results suggest that TRS has had minimal conservation impact due to acute food insecurity and limited livelihood capabilities among the poorest residents in proximity to VNP. This is exacerbated by several TRS structural constraints, such as the association membership fee requirement for TRS benefits, political influence, poor conservation linkages, and limited participation of the most socially and economically disadvantaged residents in proximity to VNP. This paper recommends restructuring of the TRS decision-making process to ensure consideration of both short-term and long-term conservation goals, wildlife conservation linkages and participation of the most economically disadvantaged residents in proximity to the park boundary.     

国家公园旅游发展对周边社区居民生活质量的影响——以黄山风景区为例

旅游发展是国家公园生态价值转化的重要路径与国家公园全民公益性的重要体现,周边社区居民是国家公园体制建设与旅游发展中的核心利益相关者之一,其生活质量影响国家公园生态保护与高质量发展。本文利用黄山风景区门户社区居民调查数据,探讨了处于探索阶段、参与阶段、发展阶段和巩固阶段等不同旅游生命周期阶段的社区居民生活质量差异及其成因。研究表明：（1）不同旅游发展阶段的社区居民生活质量差异显著,居民生活质量随社区旅游发展阶段演进而提升的现象具有滞后效应;（2）居民生计资本对不同旅游发展阶段社区居民生活质量的提升具有差异性;（3）随着社区旅游发展水平的不断提高,人力资本对居民生活质量的提升处于主导地位。     

Tourist satisfaction in relation to attractions and implications for conservation in the protected areas of the Northern Circuit,Tanzania

This study assessed tourist satisfaction and its links with tourist attractions and infrastructure at the following six protected areas on the Northern Tourist Circuit of Tanzania: Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti National Park, Arusha National Park, and Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 185 tourists visiting the protected areas. Satisfaction ratings for the Northern Circuit were high, with 86% of tourists willing to be repeat visitors. Tourists were attracted primarily to wildlife viewing. Although most tourists were not influenced to visit the region by indigenous culture or physical features, 81% of tourists noted that non-wildlife attractions enhanced their tourist experience. A range of ways to develop more sustainable forms of tourism emerged from the work, including lengthening stays, guide/driver capacity building, and partnership working with tour operators to improve marketing, increase satisfaction rates, and diversify the product.     

基于CiteSpace的中国国家公园游憩利用研究知识图谱

以CNKI中国知网为数据源,运用CiteSpace科学计量工具深入分析了国家公园游憩利用研究的多维知识图谱。研究结果表明:国家公园游憩利用研究作者合作结构松散,尚未形成紧密的学术研究合作机构与团队;研究知识演进可划分为经验借鉴萌芽(1982~2006年),初步探索成长(2007~2013年)以及深入试点发展(2014年至今)等3个阶段;研究主题富有国家政策导向性,2006年与2014年为研究转折性节点;研究主题演变主要从国家公园游憩利用理念借鉴、游憩多维评价、生态旅游开发与规划等转移到国家公园社区旅游、游憩经营与管理、游憩生态影响、游憩公共公益性,再到游憩利用维度视角的国家公园体制机制。学术界研究视角主要涉及风景园林学、经济学、地学、旅游学、生态学等。今后,需从国家公园体制建设现实出发开展多学科、跨机构、多平台的深入合作,对国家公园游憩空间价值与伦理进行深度关怀与反思,而探索建立中国本土特色的国家公园游憩利用持续发展模式与机制应当成为未来亟须研究的重点。     

Developing a better understanding of the complexities of visitor loyalty to Karijini National Park,Western Australia

Visitor loyalty is essential for the future of parks; however our knowledge of it is poor and confounded by conceptualisation and measurement issues with loyalty often considered a single construct. Furthermore, previous research has focussed on loyalty to a single destination rather than loyalty to a park system. This paper analyses the loyalty intentions of visitors to Karijini National Park, Western Australia. Relationships between loyalty measures to this park and to parks generally are explored. Rather than a single construct, loyalty was evidenced by three dimensions within an increasing hierarchy of effort – a) visiting another park, b) referring and recommending, and c) advocating, paying, volunteering, and visiting again. Visitors who wanted access to friendly, helpful rangers were more likely to undertake loyalty behaviours requiring greater effort. Further refining loyalty's multiple dimensions is an important focus for future research complemented by recent efforts to match loyalty measures with actual visiting behaviour.     

境外国家公园社区管理冲突：表现、溯源及启示

国家公园社区冲突研究对于目前中国正开展的国家公园体制试点工作具有指导意义。文章以境外国家公园社区冲突为现实案例,梳理公园管理机构与社区之间冲突的具体表现,发现社区冲突是由公园定界、公园生态保护和公园开发利用3个方面所引致,由此追根溯源至土地政策、利益机制和管理手段。当这三者置身于国家公园体制框架中时,从土地权属保障制度、社区参与制度和特许经营制度3个方面着手预防或改善公园与社区居民之间的关系是具有可操作性和针对性的。文章提出的4类土地权属关系可从一定程度上解决生态保护和社区发展的矛盾,PAC模式保证了社区在国家公园利益分配和补偿中的重要地位,透明顺畅的信息沟通增强社区对公园的信任和信心,社区特许经营制度向社区的倾斜可保障失地社区居民生计。当社区居民“得以偿失”,社区冲突就会止于源头。     

Tourism stakeholders’ perceptions of national park management in Norway

Local tourism firms represent an important stakeholder interest in national parks. The present study examines these stakeholders’ perceptions of management processes and their assessments of the resulting management plans and operations. This research is based on qualitative interviews with representatives of tourism businesses in two different national park settings in Norway – Rondane National Park and Jotunheimen National Park. The findings illustrate that despite their general support for the national park status, the local tourism stakeholders interviewed had experienced only minor involvement in the management planning process, and had had very little influence in the final management decisions. They believed that opportunities for business operations were lacking due to excessive management restrictions, and that managers lacked competence with regard to business management and tourism development issues. In addition, they thought that management authorities should more explicitly include sustainable tourism development in their visions and goals. Based on the findings, it is assumed that there is potential for local tourism operators to take greater responsibility in planning processes and management operations. It is concluded that measures should be taken to foster durable social links and trustworthy planning partnerships between responsible managers and local tourism stakeholders in the two national parks.     

Visitor perceptions of World Heritage value at Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park,Nepal

World Heritage sites must exhibit outstanding universal value, integrity, and authenticity. Based on this context, this study examined whether visitors to Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park, Nepal (World Heritage Site inscribed under criteria vii in 1979) recognized it for its exceptional beauty and aesthetics. This study explored the basic concept of perceived park authenticity at this site, and associated factors that influenced the perception of World Heritage values. Questionnaire surveys were administered to 522 international visitors at the park. Exploratory factor analysis and ordinal logistic regression were used for analysis. Results indicated that visitors perceived the park to be authentic, preserved integrity, and constituted outstanding universal value. Additional regression results identified that overall trip satisfaction and educational level were statistically significant predictors of perceptions of authenticity, integrity and outstanding universal value of the park. Prior visits, substitutability of the park, age, and income were statistically significant predictors of perceptions of either authenticity, integrity or outstanding universal value of the park. Results suggest that emphasis on visitors‘ needs via interpretation and professional guides may solicit more favorable attitudes towards this site.     

Financing the sustainable management of Rwanda's protected areas

Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park is a biodiversity hotspot with the most endemic species in the ecoregion and the highest number of threatened species internationally. Nyungwe supplies critical ecosystem services to the Rwandan population including water provisioning and tourism services. Tourism in the Park has strong potential for financing enhanced visitor experiences and the sustainable management of the Park. This paper explores quantitatively the economic impacts of adjustment in Park visitation fees and tourism demand as a source of revenues to improve Park tourism opportunities and ongoing operations and maintenance. The methods developed in this paper are novel in integrating the results of stated preference techniques with a regional computable general equilibrium modelling approach to capture multisectoral, direct, indirect and induced impacts. Such methods have strong potential for assessing revenue generation alternatives in other contexts where park managers are faced with the need to generate additional revenue for sustainable park management while facing diminishing budget allocations. Results of this analysis demonstrate that adjustment of Park fees has a relatively small impact on the regional economy and well-being when compared with a strategy aimed at generating increased tourism demand through investment in improving the visitor experience at Nyungwe National Park.     

Application of appreciative inquiry in tourism research in rural communities

Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upon grounded theory and the social constructivist paradigm, appreciative inquiry is a simple, effective, and epistemologically sound tool to understand the rural population’s knowledge, needs, and priorities without alienating them from research. Based on the study conducted to comprehend the interrelationships among conservation, livelihood, and tourism development in three rural communities located in the vicinity of Chitwan National Park, Nepal, this study argues that appreciative inquiry can be a useful tool for conducting tourism research in rural communities. This study employs five steps, including grounding, discovery, dream, design, and destiny.     

Assessing the sustainability of tourism-related livelihoods in an urban World Heritage Site

The relationship between UNESCO World Heritage Sites and tourism has been described as a double-edged sword, with the benefits of tourism countered by its adverse impacts. To the extent that tourism-related livelihoods are dependent on World Heritage status, the loss of that status may have significant adverse effects, especially for poor people. The Sustainable Livelihood Framework has been used to analyse the development, or otherwise, of rural communities in poor regions of the world. This paper uses this approach to examine the urban poor of a World Heritage Site in Thailand, The Historic City of Ayutthaya. As a consequence of tourism and urban industrial development, not only has there been conflict between the urban poor and the Thai government within the designated heritage area, there is also conflict with the neighbouring industrial zones. This has resulted in fears that World Heritage status may be lost. Viewed within DFID’s Sustainable Livelihood Framework, lack of capital and little community participation are factors which contribute significantly to an unsustainable livelihood. However, this research concludes that using self-reliance as a measurement of people’s livelihood to determine ‘sustainability’ is inappropriate in an urban-tourism context because people living in urban areas rely heavily on external sources.     

游客对国家公园功能的认知及其实现路径——以武夷山国家公园为例

中国国家公园体制以“生态保护第一、国家代表性、全民公益性”为核心理念,通过游憩功能体现其公共资源属性,促进全民公益性目标实现,是确保国家公园生态保护成效的基本要求。为寻求实现国家公园功能的路径,本文基于问卷调查,考察游客对武夷山国家公园功能的认知、对游憩服务的期待以及参与国家公园保护的态度。研究表明,游客看重与其切身利益密切相关的游憩和环境教育等功能,但在空间认知上割裂了保护和利用在国家公园内的统一性;游客关注国家公园在游憩机会上的多样化和创新性,关注点受到年龄、职业、收入、教育程度等人口统计学因素影响;游客的生态保护参与意愿普遍较强,但对保护对象并无具体认知。因此,国家公园游憩功能的发展需要从前端导入国家公园概念、功能和管理目标等公益性的基础理念,既需要根据游客多样性需求完善服务,也需要引导游客了解公园区域定位和内部功能分区。研究指出,国家公园需要在增强游客对其功能公益性理解的基础上,探索自然保护地旅游发展的新范式,从而改善游憩体验,促进游客更好地参与生态保护。     

Balancing the dual mandate of conservation and visitor use at a Canadian world heritage site in an era of rapid climate change

Abstract

National parks in Canada operate under the dual mandate of conservation and visitor use, which involves balancing ecological integrity and nature-based tourism activities. Climate-induced environmental change may increase the existing tension between conservation and visitor use as major tourism resources located in protected areas (PAs) are projected to undergo large-scale changes. This study draws upon the behavioural approach, scenario planning, and landscape visualizations to examine the relationship between climate change impacts, visitor perceptions, and visitor experience management at the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park, Canada. Four tourism development scenarios defined by two management drivers (ecological integrity and visitor demand) with corresponding storylines and visualizations were developed for 2050. The visualized scenarios were presented to visitors (n?=?304) in a survey to understand potential implications on visitor satisfaction. The results suggest that park managers need to find a balance between ecological integrity and visitor use in a way that ensures commercialized tourism development is limited, educational material is prioritized, and ecological integrity is maintained. While understanding the behaviour of future tourists is complex, it is a critical component of climate change adaptation planning and decision-making processes that needs to be prioritized by policymakers and PAs managers.     

Is the protection of beach and dune vegetation compatible with tourism?

The paradox of development vs. protection and conservation of the coasts highlights the need to determine if tourism and conservation can be compatible rather than opposite activities. We analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in vegetation cover, composition and diversity in three beaches located in the state of Veracruz (Mexico) with different levels of tourism activity (Natural, Trailer Park and Hotels). We calculated tourist density and evaluated vegetation cover, species richness and diversity and analyzed the changes before and after three holiday seasons (winter, spring and summer). The Natural site had the highest vegetation cover (42.8 m²), species richness (14) and diversity (1.50), and Trailer Park the lowest (4.9 m², 8 species, and 0.897 respectively). The BACI (Before-After-Control-Design) analysis showed no significant differences before and after the holiday seasons. Our results show how low and medium density tourism can be compatible with the protection of beach and coastal dune vegetation.     

Experiential Reciprocity: The Role of Direct Experience in Value Perceptions

This research proposes experiential reciprocity as the process underlying the relationship between direct experience of a national park and perceived value of the park system and its role in preserving the environment. Cross-sectional data of people's experience and perceptions of the United States National Park Service and their values and beliefs related to the park system indicate that a direct experience of a park increases the intrinsic value of the park, even for those who are already environmentally conscious. Consistent with the norm of reciprocity, direct experience of a park also increases willingness to finance the park directly. Given the role of direct experience of the park in fostering an intrinsic appreciation for its role in preserving the environment, waving access fees is offered as a way to promote experiential reciprocity.     

Mesa Verde Centennial Celebration

Abstract

Mesa Verde is the historical familial home of the Ancestral Pueblo People. It is a heritage center and leading archeological park that offers visitors an educational experience in a well-kept preserve. The park offers many ancient archeological sites such as the elaborate stone cliff dwelling structures, artifacts, and ceremonial kivas dug deep into the earth. Due to devastating fires over several annual seasons, attendance at Mesa Verde National Park has been disappointing. Capitalizing upon the centennial celebration in 2006, the park's 100th birthday, park officials hope to increase patronage. Historically the park has been partly responsible for bringing several hundred thousand visitors and much of the tourism dollars that flow into the remote southwestern Colorado and four-corners region each year. It is not only responsible for a direct economic impact but also an indirect economic impact found with other area tourist attractions such as hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops. Thus, lower park attendance figures have a significant impact on the surrounding four-corners region. Tracy Chavis, Executive Director of the Mesa Verde Museum Association, knew all about the disappointing park attendance and problems the park had faced over the past few years and knew she had to do something about it-and she knew she had to do something soon.     

美国海峡群岛国家公园环境教育实践经验及对中国的启示

海洋海岛类国家公园是中国国家公园体系的重要类型之一,开展环境教育建设对于国家公园公益性的发挥具有重要作用。本文根据美国海峡群岛国家公园的实地考察及资料分析环境教育特点,总结环境教育实践经验,提出对中国海洋海岛国家公园环境教育体系建设的启示。结论如下：（1）海峡群岛国家公园环境教育具有生态系统及景观特殊性、教育场所弱可达性及教育方式多元性。（2）海峡群岛国家公园环境教育体系以教育内容和支撑体系为主体架构,其中教育内容划分为海岸、海岛、沿海（潮间带与泛洪区）、海下区域4类,支撑体系涵盖管理、资金、解说、传播、人才5个方面。（3）中国海洋海岛国家公园环境教育可在统筹管理、解说规划、人才培养等多方面予以借鉴,以探索符合中国国情的海洋海岛国家公园的环境教育建设模式。     

Tourism in Maasai communities: a chance to improve livelihoods?

This paper examines community-based tourism among Maasai communities in Tanzania in the context of national policies that have increasingly devolved control over natural resources to local communities. It focuses on economic revenues generated from tourism growth, their distribution to village communities and the constraints and conflicts resulting from attempts to control or access resources. Specific cases illustrate the political and economic complexity of devolved resource management and increased income generation at the community level. Ecotourism and community-based tourism are frequently claimed to be possible remedies for wildlife and natural resources conservation, but research indicates that implementation and revenue-sharing are far from straightforward. The paper uses case studies from communities in northern Tanzania, in Ngorongoro District (Loliondo and Lake Natron), Simanjiro District and Longido District (West Kilimanjaro) to explore issues between pastoralism, cultivation, hunting tourism, photographic tourism, conservation and governance systems. It discusses the implementation of the 1998 National Forestry and Wildlife Policies, the creation of Wildlife Management Areas and the 1999 Land Act and Village Land Act. Data and experiences were gathered over a three-year period working with the Sand County Foundation – Tanzania from 2006 to 2008. The paper contributes to the assessment and discussion of pro-poor tourism and poverty alleviation concepts.