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Abstract |
Tourism and recreation in protected areas receive an increased recognition among both managers and researchers worldwide. A recent study of protected area visitation globally shows that eight billion visits per year generate approximately US $600 billion per year in direct expenditure (Balmford et al., 2015). In order to ensure high quality experiences and long-term sustainable tourism operations, protected area managers have to pay attention to the different types of visitors, their attitudes and behaviors (Eagles, 2014). This can be achieved through different visitor monitoring schemes designed and applied in accordance with site characteristics and visitation patterns (Kajala, 2007). The current study compare results from visitor studies at Fulufjallet National Park (FNP) in 2001 (the year before the part was established), 2003 (the year after the park was established), and 2014 (12 years after the park was established). In doing so, short and long term national park designation effects can be analyzed. The establishment of FNP marks an important trend in Swedish environmental policy as it is the first national park where planning and implementation explicitly builds on visitor data in order to promote recreation and tourism opportunities. |
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