Tourism and Visitor Management in Protected Areas Post-pandemic: The English Context

Abstract

Protected areas comprise of some of the most precious and sensitive habitats on the planet. However, many of these areas are also used as major tourism and leisure destinations. Managed well, these areas can safeguard biodiversity conservation with multiple positive benefits to local populations and economies. Yet, where not carefully planned and managed, there has long been recognition of the possibility of negative impacts on natural environments and social consequences for local communities. This chapter considers such impacts experienced in Dorset, UK, post the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It reviews how effective some of the most commonly used tools for preventing and/or ameliorating impacts can be in a situation that proved to overwhelm many protected area agencies and other key stakeholders. As such insights for both academics and practitioners are provided in terms of what data and how such data might be collated and used to enhance management strategies in reactive situations.