Assessment of a Comfort Indicator for Natural Tourist Attractions: The Case of Visitors to Hanging Rock,Victoria

Increasing visitor numbers raise dilemmas for managers of natural tourist attractions. Though biophysical conditions may fall within limits acceptable to attraction managers, high use-levels may create undesirable consequences for visitor experiences. An apparent solution is to set a maximum use-level by determining an attraction's social carrying capacity. However, studies have demonstrated that this determination is problematic when considering the relationships among the multifaceted characteristics of users and the unique elements within specific locations. As an alternative, a comfort indicator is proposed to determine appropriate user experiences within the context of an attraction's management objectives. To test this concept, a study examining visitor perceptions (N = 385) of a popular natural tourist attraction is reported. Significant interrelationships were found among use-level, crowding and waiting (p < 0.05). No relationship was found between visitor use-level preferences and times visited. Applying these findings, a management strategy for the attraction is outlined with future research avenues suggested.