Landscape and Tourism: European Expert Views on an Intricate Relationship

Abstract

Although the centrality of landscape to tourism is unquestionable and already a broadly established scientific area of research, much remains to be explored and understood regarding their interrelatedness. The objective of this research was to investigate, analyze and assess notions and perceptions of the reciprocal relationship between the landscape and tourism through an electronic survey among European researchers and scientists of relevant and associated academic fields. This was achieved with the aid of an interview questionnaire survey, focusing on the experts’ (a) perceptions/understandings and visions of future optimization of the reciprocal relationship tourism–landscape, (b) their conceptualizations of landscapes of tourism, and 9c) their assessments of the prospects (opportunities) and challenges (threats) coming out of the close tourism–landscape relationship, both for the tourism industry and the local societies involved. Our findings point to an emergence of a definition for “landscapes of tourism”. The experts elaborated on the high significance of the tourism–landscape relationship, through well-balanced and realistic opinions vis-à-vis the positive and negative aspects of the researched relationship but leaning towards its negative aspects. Overall, the findings reveal significant social sensitivities, environmental concerns, support for the principles of sustainability, locality, participatory governance and a call for appropriate governmental planning.

Measuring Overtourism: A Necessary Tool for Landscape Planning

“…In Figure 6, we adapted the scale to include responsible, rather than sustainable, tourism. The concept of responsible tourism is broader than the idea of sustainable tourism, as it focuses not only on the pillars of sustainability, but also on its practical implementation [6,55]. In fact, the existence of overtourism reflects the incorrect practical implementation of the ideas of sustainable tourism, so it is more accurate to consider responsible tourism at the opposite end of the spectrum.…”

Visibility Assessment of New Photovoltaic Power Plants in Areas with Special Landscape Value

“…In areas where tourism is an important component of the local economy or in areas with a high landscape or cultural value, one of the most important factors in people accepting the installation of new power facilities is the visual impact. It is in the interest of local authorities and economic entities related to tourism that visitors or tourists perceive the landscape in its natural or original state [6] and as free from visual intrusions as possible. This dimension can cause projects to be suspended as a result of social rejection to the alteration or modification of the landscape [7].…”

Research Advances in Tourism-Landscape Interrelations: An Editorial

“…produced, whereas 'tourist landscapes' rather implies the ways in which these landscapes are consumed [6].…”

“…Nevertheless, there is, as yet, no comprehensive and cohesive conceptual/theoretical framework to support this increasingly interdisciplinary body of work. However, interest in the study of the landscapes of tourism and tourism itself has been growing, especially in the last decade, as reflected in the increased number of publications and research questions addressed to this area of study [6,7,9,10]. Many challenges are involved in this task, and much remains to be understood and ascertained as the landscape and tourism-two highly complex and multifaceted scientific areas-come together in a variety of ways across time, space, and culture.…”

“…The study by Terkenli, Skowronek, and Georgoula [6] goes a step further in investigating the relationship between landscape and tourism, in a comprehensive and integrated way, on the basis of a broad questionnaire survey of European landscape and tourism experts. The latter's notions and perceptions of the reciprocal relationship between the landscape and tourism are analyzed and assessed regarding: (a) understandings and visions of future optimization of the relationship tourism-landscape, (b) their conceptualizations of 'landscapes of tourism', and (c) their assessments of the prospects (opportunities) and challenges (threats) of the tourism-landscape relationship, both for the tourism industry and the local societies.…”