Visitors’ Perception of the Overcrowding of a Protected Natural Area: A Case Applied to the Natural Reserve “Garganta de los Infiernos” (Caceres, Spain)

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to analyse the perception of visitors in protected natural areas struggling with mass tourism. An exhaustive analysis is carried out of both the tourist activity and the profile of the tourists in the Garganta de los Infiernos Natural Reserve (Extremadura, Spain). It studies variables such as the number of visitors, their personal profile, their perception of the protected area after the visit, etc. The method used was non-experimental, descriptive, qualitative and analytical, and it allowed for a better understanding of the profile of the visitors: sex, age, origin, professional profile, etc. The results show the visitors’ conviction about the need to properly manage areas of public use, mainly due to the notable and partly uncontrolled growth of tourism activity during certain periods of the year. On the other hand, the relevance of the actions of the Governing Board of the Natural Reserve is highlighted, as it guarantees public participation and channels the opinions of the main partners involved in the management of the protected area, to ensure a responsible management of tourism activity and improve its quality.

Aumento de rescates en espacios naturales durante Semana Santa 2021 en Cataluña: una consecuencia indirecta de la COVID-19

“…Unos medios de comunicación que previamente ya habían informado de las medidas que se empezaron a implementar en algunos espacios naturales para regular o restringir el número de visitantes, previendo dicho aumento (CCMA, 3/4/2021; Ràdio Olot, 29/3/2021; Viladomat, 18/3/2021). Unas medidas que tuvieron como objetivo final evitar que un exceso de visitantes comprometiera la sostenibilidad de los espacios naturales y la calidad de los recursos naturales que atraen a los visitantes (Mateos et al, 2020;Maldonado-Oré & Custodio, 2021). La no disponibilidad de datos de afluencia imposibilita el análisis de la relación entre ambas variables, a lo que hay que añadir que las características de ciertos espacios naturales hacen que sea más o menos propicio que se produzcan accidentes que requieran de la intervención de los servicios de emergencia.…”

Adventure Tourism in the Spanish Population: Sociodemographic Analysis to Improve Sustainability

“…Likewise, it is considered necessary to promote the inclusion of activities that are congruent with the environment, participatory and, especially responsible, sufficiently malleable and that can be replicated in different territories [54]. In this way, some studies, such as Mateos et al [56], indicate that it would be advisable for all-natural protected areas to have a management and participation body responsible for organizing and evaluating the degree of tourism sustainability in the protected area.…”

The Territory of Valle del Jerte-La Vera and Its Tourist Development (Extremadura, SW Spain)

“…In general terms, the typology of tourism in rural areas has many common characteristics, as established by several authors [14,[25][26][27][28]. It is a type of tourism that is developed in rural areas with little massification, with a quality cultural and natural offer, linked to the rural space [29], contributing as an activity for the local development of rural areas, thus maintaining the existing population, in order to avoid a rural exodus [30,31]. Due to the space in which this tourism takes place, it can be complemented by other types of tourism [32], such as ecotourism or nature tourism, mountain tourism, adventure tourism, agrotourism, cultural and historical tourism, religious, astronomical, ornithological, hunting, gastronomic, wine tourism, etc.…”