Evaluating Visitor-Monitoring Techniques: A Comparison of Counting and Video Observation Data

Abstract

Two visitor-monitoring methods, video monitoring and counts by human observers, were compared in order to identify and evaluate their respective advantages and disadvantages. The analysis considered user numbers, user type (walkers, dog walkers, bicyclists, and joggers) and group size of visitors. Remarkable differences were found between the two methods for user type and use levels. At low use levels, evaluations based on video monitoring resulted in fewer single bicyclists compared to counts by human observers, whereas at high use levels, human observers counted fewer walkers and bikers than video-interpreters. Based on this comparative analysis, we derive recommendations for more effective visitor-monitoring approaches. All data were collected during a visitor-monitoring project in the Danube Floodplains National Park in Austria between 1998 and 1999.

Spatial and Temporal Modeling of Beach Use: A Case Study of East Anglia, UK

“…Examining visitor numbers in relation to weather conditions over the previous days may also better represent the influence of weather on visitors' decisions to go to the beach (Dwyer, 1988 activities, respond to changes in beach characteristics and weather conditions (Arnberger et al, 2005). Our predicted responses, in terms of visitor numbers, are also subject to a range of societal and environmental uncertainties.…”

“…In other locations it may affect biodiversity and could lead to environmental degradation in places that see a substantial increase in visitation (Saveriades, 2000;Priskin, 2003;Liley & Sutherland, 2007). An understanding of how levels of visitation might be affected by policy and climate-driven changes in beach characteristics is important as it can aid the development of appropriate visitor management strategies so that any negative impacts may be minimized and positive ones maximized (Bishop & Gimblett, 2000;Arnberger et al, 2005).…”

Contribution for Improvement of Visitor Monitoring in the Tatra National Park

“…This fact indicates the importance of visitor monitoring in the Tatra mountains. There are several examples of long-term monitoring campaigns in protected areas worldwide, applying different data collection techniques (Rupf et al 2008;Arnberger et al 2005;Rauhala et al 2002;Brandenburg 2001). Recently, automatic counting devices as well as video observations have been reported to be useful for collecting continuous data on visitor numbers (Cessford & Muhar 2003).…”

Introducing a Method for Social-ecological Assessment of Small Urban Parks

“…For this study, park users are defined as peoples who uses the park as a destination and spends a minimum of 15 minutes for their activities, while passersby are defined as persons who uses the park as a pathway to other places. The number of park users (as related to the park area) indicates how intensive the park is being used (Arnberger et al, 2005).…”

“…Since the parks are small in size and visually accessible from all angles, only one or two observers were needed to count the number of visitors to the park (Arnberger, Haider, & Brandenburg, 2005). Visitors were divided into two categories; park users and passersby.…”