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The availability of reliable information on local climatic-tourism conditions is a growing need due to the influence it exerts on the quality of the organizational strategy of tourist destination's, and travel experience. Evaluations of the tourism potential of the climate have been carried out on a daily or monthly resolution, thus limiting the collection of detailed information that makes it possible to fine-tune tourism management and operational decision-making on an intraday scale. This research is the first case study to analyse the climatic suitability for nature tourism, using the weather types method at hourly resolution. The study applies to arid tourist destinations in Isfahan province (Iran). The detailed resolution has made it possible to identify the time slots favourable to the development of nature tourism in those periods of the year recognized as critical in the daily resolution analyses. In the same way, the hourly resolution has also identified critical bands in those periods indicated as favourable in the evaluations to daily resolution. The hourly resolution provides detailed information that can allow tourists and also tourism managers to establish intraday adaptation strategies that make it possible to develop the activity even in places with extreme climates., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Visiting natural environments could restore health and contribute to human sustainability. However, the understanding of potential linkages between restoration of visitors and nature-based tourism remains incomplete, resulting in a lack of orientation for researchers and managers. This study aimed to explore how visitors achieve restoration through nature by analyzing published literature on tourism. Using a systematic review method, this study examined destination types, participant traits, theoretical foundations, and potential restorative outcomes presented in 34 identified articles. A new framework that synthesizes relevant research and conceptualizes the restorative mechanisms of nature-based tourism from a human-nature interaction perspective was developed. Owing to the limitations in the theories, methods, cases, and the COVID-19 pandemic, interdisciplinary methods and multisensory theories are needed in the future to shed further light on the restoration of visitors through nature-based tourism. The findings provide a theoretical perspective on the consideration of nature-based tourism as a public-wellness product worldwide, and the study provides recommendations for future research in a COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 society.

Recent studies question whether ubiquitous connectivity via mobiles represents an enhancer and facilitator in nature-based tourism experiences or a potential destructor to disconnect from. We argue that extant research approaches cannot fully grasp the complexity of the connectivity-disconnection dilemma, specifically how tourists appropriate, reinterpret, reshape, and negotiate with meanings inscribed in mobiles and how such negotiations link to valuations of nature-based experiences. This research adopts an interpretivist approach and uses actor-network theory to investigate negotiations of connectivity and their experiential meanings through field interviews in Fulufjället National Park, Sweden. Results reveal translations of social connectivity, facilitation of information and orientation as thematic cores of tourists' embodiments of mobile connectivity. Results also show how the comprehensive tourismscape where such embodiments find meaning contributes to tourists' definitions of disconnection. Such definitions comprise human and non-human actors on site, off site, and cannot be exhausted by essentialist dualisms between being plugged and unplugged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism is a prominent component of the tourism sector in South Africa, attracting both domestic and international travellers. Camping plays a crucial role, providing both affordable lodging and an opportunity to engage more directly and continuously with the natural environment. Climate is a key determinant of the feasibility of camping activities and has been empirically established as a significant influence in tourists’ decision-making process when selecting a destination. The climate in South Africa, while highly heterogenous, has been generally classified as ‘ideal’ for tourism. The Camping Climate Index (CCI) has recently been developed to quantify the climatic suitability of diverse camping locations, and the suitability of the index confirmed for South Africa. This study applies the CCI to 33 stations across South Africa for the period 1990–2022 or for the longest time period for which data are available. The average annual CCI scores range from 3.5 (‘unfavourable’) for Sutherland to 5.3 (‘acceptable’) for King Shaka International Airport. Mean monthly scores for the common period 2017–2021 range from 2.7 (‘unfavourable’) for Sutherland in August to 6.2 (‘good’) for Springbok in January and December. This facilitates the advancement of the tourism sector in South Africa by providing a quantitative assessment of the climatic conditions suitable for camping activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature observations are at the core of both nature-based tourism and citizen science. The movement limitations associated with the Covid-19 pandemic have created a window during which tourism nose-dived, but online citizen science platforms flourished primarily through the posting of 'backyard' observations. Beyond citizen science, a return to nature during this period appears to have been important in supporting mental health, especially in city dwellers, and this has resulted in a renewed interest in studying nature appreciation. Here I attempt to bring together these different facets of nature watching research, defined by divergent philosophical underpinning and following different methodologies. I use the findings of tourism and citizen science studies to summarize observer motivations, and place these in a nature appreciation framework. I argue that this framework can be used towards maintaining a balance between diverse goals: reducing observer biases in citizen science, enhancing observer experience in nature-based tourism, and maximizing the therapeutic effects of being exposed to nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather and climate are vital for Nature-Based Tourism (NBT). Weather influences tourists' experience, while climate affects the timing of the season and attractions. This influence is particularly apparent in southern Africa, which has limited adaptive capacity to climate change. Particularly in Zimbabwe, the NBT industry is dependent on and affected by weather and climatic changes. It is important to investigate how the NBT industry in Zimbabwe is adapting to these changes. Through a qualitative approach, this study examines the adaptation strategies applied by NBT proprietors in four provinces around Zimbabwe, encompassing the major NBT destinations. The results reveal location-specific adaptation strategies. With the current and projected temperature increases and reduction in precipitation, there is a need for urgent adaptive action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a substantial history of research on the well-being of host communities at tourism destinations, the individual psychological well-being of local residents remains an underexplored topic. This study explores the psychological well-being of tourism host community members through a case study of Queenstown, New Zealand. By drawing on the self-determination theory, an innovative focus group analysis approach, microinterlocutor analysis, complemented by thematic analysis, was used to explain the psychological well-being of individual host community members in a nature-based tourism destination. Findings revealed a sense of autonomy, relatedness to people and the natural environment, feelings of competence or mastery, and beneficence-supported psychological well-being. This study extends prior research on the well-being of host communities by identifying key psychological well-being domains explicitly related to host community members. Practical implications of the findings are highlighted with reference to nature-based destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology has emerged as an essential tool that has revolutionized the conditions for travelers to fully immerse themselves in the culture, gastronomy, and recreation of the places they explore. This literature review aims to understand the crucial contributions currently shaping the implementation of augmented reality as an enriching technological support for user experiences in tourism and the conservation of natural heritage. While the literature on this topic is scattered across specialized databases, this review provides a unique opportunity for a deeper and more cohesive analysis. Employing the metaphor of the tree of science, we have developed two valuable approaches to the data collected during our bibliographic exploration. On the one hand, we have examined scientometric statistics related to the countries, authors, universities, and research and technological development centers that are at the forefront of creating innovative augmented reality-based applications to promote tourism and conservation. On the other hand, we have conducted an evolutionary analysis based on the tree of science to trace the origins of the most significant contributions and understand how they have evolved over time in this dynamic and ever-developing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides' lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides' experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influences of tourists' involvement, perceived restorative environments and health consciousness on their perceived physical, mental and social health benefits. The proposed model was empirically tested using a sample of 595 tourists who travelled to mountain sites after the strict lockdown in China. Tourists' perception of a restorative environment mediates the relationship between their involvement and perceived health benefits. Individual health consciousness positively moderates the effect of the restorative environment on perceived health benefits. This research connects tourist involvement, attention restoration theory and the health and wellness outcomes of nature‐based tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental communication interventions are employed in nature-based tourism settings to achieve environmental protection. However, much still needs to be studied to understand what interventions work, how and why. This review summarises the research design and outcomes of 54 empirical studies, published in English-language peer-reviewed journals where communications were used to foster visitors' pro-environmental intentions or actual behaviours. Our analysis suggests that environmental communication can be a useful tool although mixed results were often observed. Personal interpretation interventions were slightly more common than non-personal communications, and produced a higher portion of positive changes in pro-environmental behaviors and intentions. The use of Theory of Planned Behaviour was most commonly observed. Research on the efficacy of environmental communications is increasing; we suggest priorities to guide this accelerating research activity. Under-researched communications approaches include visual communications and digital tools. Increased comparison of content and delivery modes within the same study and in different nature-tourism contexts is needed, especially with diverse populations (e.g. cultural) and distinct sub-groups (e.g. pro- vs. non-environmental market segments). We advocate for increased diversity of research methods (e.g. qualitative) and robust design (e.g. longitudinal) to better understand visitors' behaviours, with reduced use of attitudes, knowledge and intentions as dependent variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Entorno Geográfico is the property of Universidad del Valle and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biodiversity is declining in part due to destructive and unsustainable human activity. Nature-based tourism, informed by scientific data, has the potential to replace some income generated by unsustainable practices. We observed two groups of Hoolock tianxing gibbons – one exposed to tourists and the other to small research teams – at Gaoligong National Nature Reserve, China. We found that H. tianxing gibbons spent significantly more time scanning and less time resting in the presence of tourists, and that these effects were amplified by the number of tourists. We did not find a difference in overall daily activity budgets of individuals exposed to tourism compared to individuals exposed to research teams, suggesting that behavioural changes are currently restricted to periods when tourists are present. Gibbon-focused tourism programs have the potential to contribute to conservation efforts and our study demonstrates that programs informed by scientific research can be an ethical and sustainable conservation tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainforests provide exceptional spaces for nature-based tourism activities attracting large numbers of visitors. Simultaneously, tourism activities may create environmental, social and economic impacts that require management in order to conserve sensitive rainforest environments. Rainforest tourism constitutes a travel sector that receives growing interest worldwide. This study presents a timely review of current knowledge and research gaps in a new conceptual model to give recommendations for a future research agenda. Through a systematic quantitative review, the study identified 48 peer-reviewed journal articles addressing conservation and management topics (33), followed by visitor-related research (23), impacts (10), and finally community and stakeholder research (3) of rainforest tourism, published between 1975 and 2019. The majority of research focused on management issues relating to policy development, planning, education and conservation measures. A strong geographic bias was noted with very limited research available for rainforest regions in Africa and Asia. Future research should be concerned with expanding and linking rainforest research across countries, and filling knowledge gaps around visitor monitoring, specific impacts and causes, and the complexity of community and stakeholder involvement in managing impacts. Protocols may need to be established to facilitate the design and delivery of standardised research approaches across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Society & Leisure / Loisir & Société is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The growing popularity of nature-based tourism means that the tourism industry is increasingly utilizing wilderness areas to provide visitor experiences. However, tourism activities negatively impact wilderness quality. Tourism service providers play an important role in shaping these impacts. Therefore, this study investigates their preferences regarding wilderness use and development. It focuses on the Icelandic Central Highlands, which contain some of Europe's largest wildernesses and are an important venue for tourism. The relationship between participants' preferences and environmental attitudes is also investigated, providing insights into the reasoning behind these preferences. For this study an online questionnaire was distributed among day tour providers and travel agencies operating in Iceland. The results revealed that the attitudes of over 87% of the participants were pro-environmental. Accordingly, most tourism service providers preferred basic tourism infrastructure in the Central Highlands, and they did not support further energy or road developments. However, their attitudes toward the Central Highlands National Park proposal were divergent despite the positive relationship with environmental attitudes. Concerns about regulations and access restrictions to the area played an important role in shaping the attitudes toward the national park proposal, demonstrating the importance of considering tourism stakeholders' interests for ensuring their support for wilderness conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the metacoupling Anthropocene, tourism-based culture ecosystem services flows (CESF) can establish non-material bridges from the natural to the human system, even across vast geographic distances. However, there remains a knowledge gap regarding investigation of nature-related tourist travel patterns at geographic flow scales. To address this gap, we analyzed the intracoupling (within-province), pericoupling (adjacent-province), and telecoupling (distant-provincial) flow patterns using a sample of 143,681 5A attractions travel comments with Internet Protocol (IP) location data. Emotional preferences derived from travel reviews were then quantified using machine learning models in China's post-COVID-19 pandemic era. The results showed significant spatial differences in nature-based 5A-level CESF, China's telecoupling performance of CESF (0.34) is higher than pericoupling (0.20), but intracoupling (0.46) remains dominant. Tourists from northeastern provinces exhibited a preferences for telecoupling, while those from southwestern provinces showed intracoupling patterns. Forest ecosystems contribute nearly one-third (30.70%) of cultural services and are primarily characterized by intracoupling patterns. Sentiment analysis indicated that tourists' emotional preferences vary with travel distance, with long-distance tourists tending to appreciate indigenous cultures. Overall, this study provides new insights into investigating the dynamics of CESF, which could inform policy actions aimed at revitalizing the tourism sector. [Display omitted] • We have investigated the cross-provincial CESF in China using the metacoupling framework. • The telecoupling performance is higher than pericoupling, while intracoupling remains dominant. • Forest ecosystems contribute nearly one-third of all cultural services. • Tele-distance tourists tend to appreciate indigenous culture. • The transportation cost plays a crucial role in influencing the flow of tele-distance tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anthropocene is characterised by people's significant influences on global systems, which generate both high levels of uncertainty and profound change in our lifetime. We must start to better engage with what it might mean to inhabit and know the world differently, especially as we experience extensive loss and change, and because grief is increasingly with us. At the same time, we must better engage with our emotions productively and find hope through active, conscious processing and mourning. In this commentary, we explore the potential of engaging in nature‐based tourism to help us grapple with, process, and positively engage with the emotions of the Anthropocene. We gained insights about such potential for healing by collaborating with two eco‐tourism enterprises in Australia: Mount Barney Lodge in Southeast Queensland and Salt and Bush Eco Tours in the Peel River Region on the west coast of Australia. We found that nature immersion can heal and renew. Moreover, guides who know about and are connected to or living closely with nature play critical roles as interpreters or intermediaries with nature. They can also inspire gratitude and positive emotions by encouraging us to (re)connect with nature and provide new and transformative perspectives that bring comfort and motivate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of climate change are a global issue with the potential to threaten human existence on Earth. All aspects of society must find innovative ways to reduce their contributions to climate change and prevent a further rise in global temperatures. The tourism industry is in a position where it has the potential to help solve many critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Environmental concerns and market pressures are encouraging tourism companies to implementing strategies to “go green”. In this article the energy use and relative carbon emissions of two South African nature-based lodges in the Greater Kruger National Park are analysed. The recent conversion away from using a diesel generator to solar energy were analysed at Property A, this showed a significant reduction in carbon emissions. Property B also showed an encouraging reduction in emissions for most years, through the successful implementation of energy-efficient management practices. The highest carbon emissions outside electricity related emissions, was vehicle diesel, which is used in game drive activities and general transportation. These results provide valuable examples of the steps tourism ventures can take to reduce carbon emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalisation is a major transformative factor in tourism, yet studies show that holidaymakers are ambivalent about smartphone and Internet use. This study explores screen and digital ambivalence in nature-based tourism in and around the huts and routes of the Norwegian Trekking Association. While digital ambivalence describes ambiguous sentiments over being constantly connected, screen ambivalence covers mixed feelings regarding the presence of smartphones and screens. Methodologically, this qualitative study combined observations at 3 offline sites with an analysis of 30 field dialogues. The study found that hikers were highly aware of the positive and negative functions of digital media. Offline tourism may intensify the experience of taking a break, realising what tourists perceive to be the true nature of friluftsliv [outdoor life], heighten the sense of adventure and self-reliance. However, tensions concerning safety, missing social communication, and obstacles to posting on social media were also evident. This study contributes to the limited research on digital disconnection and offers new insights into the experiential qualities of offline holidays. Few studies have mapped tourist experiences in specific offline sites, and this study contributes to nature-based tourism research by showing how local norms mitigate tensions and nudge hikers towards positive interpretations of being digital-free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism experiences have the potential to inspire visitors to adopt conservation behaviours that protect natural environments; however, to have global effect on environmentally sensitive areas such as the Great Barrier Reef, we may need to expand this influence to beyond just visitors. One way to reach large audiences is through digital technology. Virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to replicate reality effectively, accordingly, this study employed a quasi-experimental design (N = 114) to compare the impact of a real versus a virtual nature-based marine tourism experience on participants' intentions to engage in conservation behaviours. The study reveals that a nature-based tourism experience delivered via 360-degree VR technology has the potential to be as effective as a real-life experience when seeking to influence conservation behaviours. Further, this study reveals that the effectiveness of both types of experiences is not enhanced by the addition of interpretive content. Implications for the design of both virtual and real nature-based experiences targeting behaviour change are presented, and suggestions for future research exploring the design and delivery of interpretation discussed. The potential for using VR to engage wider audiences and prompt widespread behaviour changes is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conceptualises tourist idleness as a temporary engagement in slow, slothful and entirely unstructured holiday activities. We aim to extend the studies that prioritise the modalities of holidays in nature that encourage simplified, slower, immersive experiences, and which celebrate mindfulness, slowness and stillness as part of a tourist journey. In framing idleness as a relaxing, creative and recuperative holiday practice, we suggest that creating places of otium which encourage 'doing nothing' can in many ways enhance tourist wellbeing. To this end, we discuss the significance of spatial, temporal and existential elements of tourist idleness, whilst arguing that this 'practice' should be more celebrated in our modern, high-speed societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nature-based tourism is one of the most critical sectors of tourism, which is influenced by various economic, socio-cultural, and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced all sectors of tourism, including nature-based tourism. The purpose of this article is to identify the key drivers affecting the development of nature-based tourism and analyze future scenarios of nature-based tourism in Iran based on the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Micmac and ScenarioWizard software programs were used to analyze the research findings. Many factors affect the development of nature-based tourism in Iran, which fall into two human and natural factors groups. Five factors are the key drivers influencing the development of nature-based tourism in Iran: national, regional and globaly safety (F2); economic stability (F8); private sector participation (F9), human crises such as diseases, wars, etc. (F16); national and international advertising (national and international (F17); and travel costs (F19). According to the future of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research results show that a total of 10 scenarios for the future of nature-based tourism in Iran are conceivable, which are presented in three groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism Climate Indices (TCIs) are the most widely used method to quantify climate suitability for tourism, yet remain more extensively applied in the Global North. Here we apply the TCI to Namibia, a country heavily economically reliant on outdoor tourism. Rising temperatures and changes in relative humidity and precipitation pose threats to nature-based and adventure tourism in Namibia. The mean annual TCI scores for the period 2008–2018 vary from classifications of 'good' for Etosha Safari at 62 to 'excellent' for Windhoek at 80. Monthly scores reveal a bimodal-shoulder and winter peak, indicating that the most suitable climatic conditions for tourism occur during the austral spring, autumn and winter months. This is consistent with the literature regarding peak tourist seasons, and fortuitously aligns with school holidays. The spatial and seasonal quantification of climate resources in Namibia derived from the TCI results can inform sustainable planning for tourism and other economic sectors sensitive to climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper echoes the call for multisensory tourism research from the perspective of auditory sensory experience. Based on an extended stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model, the natural soundscape is linked with tourists' emotion and behaviour, and the possible structural relationships between them are verified with structural equation modelling. The results indicate that auditory factors such as natural soundscape significantly affect tourists' emotion and behaviour in nature-based tourism. Emotion induced by natural soundscape can significantly improve tourists' actual approach behaviour and behavioural intention in nature-based tourism. Different emotional dimension can elicit different behavioural type. Emotional arousal tends to trigger tourists' actual approach behaviour, whereas emotional pleasure tends to encourage tourists' behavioural intention. Actual approach behaviour in natural soundscape can significantly promote tourists' behavioural intention. Based on these findings, valuable information for tourism managers on generating desirable tourist emotion and behaviour is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing complexity of tourism and sustainability offers opportunities and challenges among diverse stakeholder perspectives. The need for sustainable and nature-based approaches exists throughout the growing body of literature from among a number of dimensions and measures. One of the overarching goals of the paper is to examine whether tourists will choose a destination or hotel that is actively working to improve the environment while examining how Hawaii's tourism is nature-based as well as other measures of sustainability while enjoying a slice of paradise in the Hawaiian Islands. This study explores tourism sustainability concerns in Hawaii, such as the influence of the tourist sector on the environment and will address if Hawaii should be recognized as a sustainable tourism destination. A survey instrument was developed where 454 respondents participated. According to the findings of this research, tourists visiting Hawaii support environmentally sustainable tourism practices leading towards a more sustainable tourist destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes one of the greatest challenges in the history of the tourism industry. Travel restrictions imposed in many countries to manage the global spread and community transmission allow to study the environmental effects on tourism destinations. Here we investigate the case of wildlife tourism in Sri Lanka, a country that has experienced unsustainable wildlife tourism practices before COVID-19. Semi-structured interviews of wildlife tourism stakeholders of Sri Lanka's national parks demonstrated how the travel restrictions during COVID-19 provided a temporary relief from environmental impacts. We discuss various measures on how to maintain more sustainable practices of wildlife tourism in Sri Lanka and other countries in the long term seizing this unusual opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 poses a huge threat to the tourism industry. Not only is COVID-19 a health challenge, but it is also a socio-economic and ecological emergency. The UNWTO anticipates a 20-30% decline in tourist arrivals, a huge blow for sub-Saharan countries whose economies depend on nature-based tourism. Using qualitative document analysis, this paper presents an analysis of the interlinkages between COVID-19 and nature-based tourism, resultant impacts and implications for the future of tourism in Botswana. Results show that the disease spread in Botswana has resulted in far reaching socio-economic and environmental repercussions. These include revenue losses, business closures, retrenchments, and loss of opportunities for financing community development projects; wildlife straying beyond their normal ranges posing a threat to life and increasing chances of poaching. Lessons learnt for the future transformational agenda include the need to intensify domestic tourism; virtual operations and strategies for human-wildlife co-existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising demand for access to trail networks has encouraged local governments to invest in trail development. This study is the first attempt to estimate the local income multiplier effect of recreational trail tourism, applying an Ad hoc model. The most popular recreational trail in the Algarve region of Portugal was used as a study case to verify the relevance of the Ad hoc model application. The result acknowledges a significant trail‐related contribution to the local economy and rural community development. This study suggests the use of the Ad hoc model to assess the economic impact of local‐scale outdoor‐recreation activities in terms of income generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountains are popular sites for tourism and annually, multitudes of hikers, trekkers, and climbers converge on these areas. The Himalayas, a delicate ecosystem is being invaded by increasing levels of tourism activity. As a consequence of the increase in tourism, the pressure on naturally fragile ecosystems is growing and can lead to a serious conflict between the vulnerable environment and bringing changes to the tourism industry. That is why more and more Protected Areas (PAs) within the Himalayas have been designated. Currently, in the Himalayas there are 34 national parks and 92 areas under other protection. Overall, the entire range (547,960km2) contains over 79,008km2 of PAs that account for almost 14.5% of the landmass, and almost reach the Aichi Target 11 benchmark of 17%. The Bhutanese Himalayas are unrivalled and almost 43% of the country is protected. Arunachal Himalayas have the smallest PA - just almost 5%. Overall, due to the low level of economic development in the Himalayan countries, there is currently no possibility of realizing a comprehensive, rational and balanced approach to nature protection and tourism in the region. There are ongoing attempts to selectively preserve areas characterised by primary nature and rare flora and fauna, and balance pro-poor development objectives with conservation goals. Through, mapping and calculating the areas under conservation this paper flags improvements necessary to reach Aichi Targets. Thus, this paper also describes the spatial and temporal development of protected areas in the whole Himalayan range. This research showed that 79% of all PAs, that is 78 PAs, was established in the years 1970-1999. The listing process peaked in the years 1985-1994, a decade in which 30.879km2 were designated, accounting for almost 39% of the total PAs in the Himalayas. However, the trend has slowed in recent years. Sensing an increasingly vulnerable resource-base, more protected areas should be designated in the near future in line with the Convention of Biodiversity's Aichi Targets. This paper is the first part of a comprehensive study about Himalayan PAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explored people's life experiences, mental health, and well-being during the lockdown phase of the coronavirus pandemic. It discusses people's inclination and motivation for travel post-COVID-19. Narrative inquiry was used as a qualitative research design. Thematic analysis and sentimental analysis were applied to assess study participants' life state, emotions, and travel choices. Respondents described their lived experiences around seven major themes. Nature-based travel for spiritual elevation, transformation, and healing emerged as the most sought out choice of travel post-COVID-19. The study provides a foundation for policy formulation and will facilitate understanding people's perceptions and expectations from travelling post-COVID-19.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between nature and tourism is still not clearly understood today, and the motivations attending tourism facilities are also affected by this complexity. People are expected to experience personal development and regeneration from tourism experiences, in which they participate with different motivations. It ensures that the experience of the person ultimately leads to experience satisfaction. The aim of the current study is to examine the effects of motivations to participate in nature based tourism on the personal development/renewal experience and experience satisfaction; and to determine the effect of personal development/renewal experience on experience satisfaction. Questionnaire technique was used in this research. Totally 267 questionnaires were analyzed. According to the results obtained, motivation to participate in nature based tourism activities affects experience satisfaction together with personal development/renewal experience, and personal development/renewal experience also affects experience satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and weather are key resources for tourism. For nature-based tourism, weather determines the timing and variety of activities, while longer-term climate affects the seasonality of both tourism arrivals and the natural environment tourists will experience. This influence is heightened in developing countries, where little adaptation has been implemented to ameliorate unfavourable climate and extreme weather events. The Tourism Climatic Index (TCI) is widely used in the global North to quantify the climate suitability of tourist destinations. Initial studies for South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia reveal the applicability of the index in the African context, despite challenges in data availability and quality. This study presents the first TCI calculations for Zimbabwe, a country relient on outdoor nature-based tourism for attracting tourists and foreign income. The mean annual TCI scores classify Zimbabwe as very good to excellent in climatic suitability for tourism, with scores spanning 75.5–83 (of a maximum 100) for the period 1989–2014. Monthly TCI scores categorize four locations in the Lowveld region as having a winter-peak suitability; the remaining stations have either summer-peak or bimodal shoulder-peaks. This reveals year-round climatic suitability for tourism in Zimbabwe, and highlights the importance of understanding seasonal variability per destination to maximize tourist satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest in harnessing wind energy keeps increasing globally. Iceland is considering building its first wind farms, but its landscape and nature are not only a resource for renewable energy production; they are also the main attraction for tourists. As wind turbines affect how the landscape is perceived and experienced, it is foreseeable that the construction of wind farms in Iceland will create land use conflicts between the energy sector and the tourism industry. This study sheds light on the impacts of wind farms on nature-based tourism as perceived by the tourism industry. Based on 47 semi-structured interviews with tourism service providers, it revealed that the impacts were perceived as mostly negative, since wind farms decrease the quality of the natural landscape. Furthermore, the study identified that the tourism industry considered the following as key factors for selecting suitable wind farm sites: the visibility of wind turbines, the number of tourists and tourist attractions in the area, the area’s degree of naturalness and the local need for energy. The research highlights the importance of analysing the various stakeholders’ opinions with the aim of mitigating land use conflicts and socioeconomic issues related to wind energy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Turismo & Desenvolvimento (RT&D) / Journal of Tourism & Development is the property of Associacao de Gestao e Planeamento em Turismo da Universidade de Aveiro (AGPTUA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The rapid post-millennial internationalisation of Japan's tourism sector and the influx of international visitors have quickly increased visitor motivations' heterogeneity, thereby posing challenges for management. Given the lack of prior research, we aimed to identify nature-based tourism (NBT) push-factor motivation domains of visitors in a Japanese national park and segment domestic and international visitors based on their motivations, demographics and trip profiles. Primary data collection of 137 responses took place in November 2019 through an on-site self-administered questionnaire. From 11 push-factor statements, the principal component analysis yielded a four-factor solution: 'enjoying nature with family or friends', 'improving physical health', 'discovering and learning' and 'escaping'. In addition, t-tests revealed significant differences between domestic and international visitors in three out of the four motivation dimensions. Underlying visitor profiles could explain some such differences. Despite the differences, both international and domestic visitors share similar motivations regarding 'improving physical health'. These findings hint at the complexity of monitoring heterogeneous visitor segments within Japanese NBT. Despite increasing international visitors, there has been a lack of the necessary infrastructure and facilities to accommodate them. Thus, this study's implications might help diversify NBT management strategies to deal with current shortcomings in Japan's tourism sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularity of nature-based tourism revolves around tourist experiences. Tourism, as an experiential good has the potential to impact on tourists' awareness, appreciation, and actions concerning the environment and wildlife. User preferences and valuations of nature and wildlife may change because of the experience. Exploring user valuations of environmental goods before and after the experience is, however, an area that has been given little attention in the literature. We use discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to evaluate tourists' preferences and valuations for nature, wildlife and related services before and after experiencing a nature tour. The results demonstrate how the unfamiliarity of the good consumed (in this case fauna and flora in a hitherto unseen natural environment) affect the non-use valuations of consumers. We find that tourists' valuations for nature and wildlife significantly improve after experiencing the nature tour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife watching tourism show rapid growth worldwide and activities based on a variety of species receive increased attention in the tourism literature. Understanding the relationships between experiences, product delivery and the setting is particularly important in wildlife watching tourism, since the main attraction (wild animals) can be threatened if managed incorrectly. Research investigating the dynamics of participants' experiences, also beyond encounters with the target species, will help tourism providers develop more enjoyable products, that participants' will recommend to others. Using musk ox safaris in Dovrefjell Norway as our case, we examine this taking the tourism experiencescape model of Mossberg (2007) as a point of departure. Data were collected with a combination of participant surveys, on-site observations and interviews. Findings indicate that elements seen as individual aspects of the experience in other tourism settings are more connected in a wildlife watching context. We conclude that guiding and interpretation is a key factor for satisfaction in wildlife watching tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to indicate the potentials for tourism development based on the protected natural resources of the Republic of Serbia situated in the Moravica administrative district territory, the degree of their current utilization for the purposes of tourism and local population information on the above mentioned. Closed-ended survey was conducted (five-point scale) on the random sample of the residents in the urban part of the city of Čačak as the administrative centre of the Moravica administrative district. The results are: 1) low degree of information among the local population, 2) medium (good) potential for tourism development, and 3) very low level of its utilization for tourism purposes. The results are also considered according to the natural resources protection type. The contribution of this paper is in the indication of potentially successful elements in future tourism offer for the entities in the field of tourism and hospitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of a new land-use governance system requires acceptance from involved actors. We present a payments for ecosystem services (PES) design process with multi-criteria analysis (MCA) based evaluation of alternatives within a nature-based tourism area in northern Finland. The tourism activities are located on private lands, which are mainly managed for timber production, negatively affecting landscape and recreational values. Earlier attempts have not catalysed the required action among local actors. To increase the practical operability of the suggested PES an MCA process was organised with stakeholders. Alternative PES systems, meeting the demands of local conditions also in the future, were evaluated against good governance criteria in future scenarios. Then, SWOT analysis was carried out for the preferred alternative to reveal supporting and hindering factors for the uptake of the suggested system. The alternative that is obligatory for visitors to the area was preferred among stakeholders representing foresters and tourism entrepreneurs due to its cost-efficiency and funding base. Its implementation would still require a practically adoptable definition of the PES scheme and new co-management arrangements among the actors operating in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the interest for nature‐based tourism activities increases, it is important to provide evidence‐based guidelines for wildlife‐human interactions to minimize the disturbance caused to wildlife. In Fennoscandia, the endangered arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is subject to increasing tourism interest and some regions recommend a minimum approach distance of 300 m, but the guidelines have not been scientifically validated. We conducted experimental human approaches towards arctic fox den sites to study activity and behavioral changes in response to the approaching observer. The first arctic foxes hid when approached within 300 m, but many had increased their vigilance already at the start distance of 500 m. At approximately 200 m, the hiding probability increased rapidly at dens disturbed and undisturbed by tourism activities. Arctic foxes at disturbed dens allowed the observer to approach more closely before they increased their vigilance and before they hid compared to foxes at undisturbed dens. We confirm that a minimum distance of 300 m might be sufficient for most arctic foxes to refrain from hiding, but a longer distance would be required to avoid causing any disturbance. We recommend a minimum approach distance of ≥300 m to be implemented in all Fennoscandian regions inhabited by the arctic fox. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. The recommended minimum approach distance of 300 m for the endangered arctic fox in Fennoscandian is sufficient for foxes to refrain from hiding but not enough to avoid causing some disturbance. The study demonstrates an example of easily applicable scientific results that can be directly transferred to the management of wildlife and tourism activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws from the concept of Shadow State to analyse the effects of tourism development in a Shadow State environment using the Okavango Delta (OD) in Botswana as a case study. The relationship between Shadow State and tourism enclaves and the resultant effects of tourism development in the OD is examined based on a qualitative approach. Results indicate the following: the creation of Shadow State in tourism development in Botswana has resulted in the creation of a tourism enclave emerging in the OD, especially core areas of the wetland; the tourism enclave is evidenced by the dominance of the tourism industry by multinational companies and investors; association of some of the multinational companies to local political and business elites; and, the increased corruption and a monopoly of tourism development by a few companies. This article therefore argues that tourism development in destination areas like the OD should aim at achieving the ideals of sustainable tourism where the industry should be more inclusive and beneficial to all stakeholders especially residents. The failure to eliminate signs of a Shadow State related to tourism development in the OD would render the ideals of sustainable tourism, which form part of the country's sustainable development agenda, fruitless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many businesses do not understand how changing short- and long-term weather and climatic conditions impact economic outcomes. To address this understanding gap, the Weather-Proximity-Cognition (WPC) framework is introduced. The WPC explores how spatial, temporal, and social proximity to weather and climate events or issues, as well as scale of events or issues, influences understanding and agency related to business outcomes. The WPC can be used by businesses to understand and localize weather or climate change risks and also to increase agency to engage in adaptive or mitigating efforts. Camping businesses are particularly susceptible to weather and climatic conditions. An empirical case study of two camping businesses located in popular United States destinations is presented to demonstrate the WPC framework's utility. Empirical models explained up to 61.3% of the variability in daily camping occupancy depending on geographic location, meteorological season, and camping occupancy type. WPC and case study implications are discussed. • Changing weather and climatic conditions threaten businesses, particularly nature-based businesses such as camping. • The novel Weather-Proximity-Cognition (WPC) framework is introduced to enhance business understanding and agency. • The WPC explores how time, space, social proximity and scale influence business understanding of weather and climate change. • A case study of two camping businesses provides replicable empirical steps that can be used to analyze climatic conditions. • Weather and weather events explain up to 61.3% of the variability in daily camping occupancy, an economic business outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conceptualises astro-tourism as a nature-based tourism phenomenon and illustrates its positioning as a special-interest tourism (SIT) field using a phenomenological approach. In the process, this baseline research study contributes to this relatively new tourism field's foundational research aspects, such as developing a definition and, examining its articulation with destination image. It finds that astro-tourism is based on the interest of tourists in sky-related activities such as dark sky observation and astrophotography, most often in a nature-based context. The findings can be utilised to develop astro-tourism as a new medium in conceptualising tourism destination image by combining destination earth features as well as sky features. Targeting sky features of a destination combined with the earth facilities to attract tourists is one of the new opportunities to deliver unique tourism products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the recreational uses of national parks, a field investigation was employed at Giant Panda National Park, Sichuan. Through a mixed-methods approach and visual portrayal of the spatio-temporal behaviours of four types of visitors is undertaken and associated demographic and other features described. Tourists' concerns regarding wilderness tours are found to be comprised of three dimensions "physical safety," "travel comfort" and "quality of experience." A focus upon weather-related matters reveals that visitors intend to adjust differently in response to different degrees of bad weather. Implications for Chinese national park management are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the new Tourism Autobiographical Memory Scale (TAMS) that measures visitor experience through personal memory. The TAMS uses the autobiographical memory framework to represent the degree to which a travel experience was impactful to a traveler's life. Visitors were asked to recall a memory from their visit to a national park and rate the memory of the experience based on its impact and frequency of rehearsal on a 7-point scale. Using exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing, two distinct factors emerged. Results identified a reliable measure of a memory's impact and frequency of rehearsal of tourists. The TAMS provides researchers a new scale to gather information about the impact of a visitor experience from the direct source—personal memories. Destination managers who understand the impact they can have on a traveler will be able to manage and market to those types of experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]