Monitoring visitor experiences in protected areas

An important element of the planning and management of protected areas is the understanding of visitor experiences. Well managed, visitation can generate social, cultural, conservation and economic benefits. Without strategic planning, visitor related activities can create a broad range of negative impacts. This article focuses on the nature of visitor experiences and the ways in which they can be most effectively monitored to better inform park management, resource allocation decisions and planning processes. It explores the many dimensions of visitor experience relating to the location, the season and the length of the visit and the visitor themselves, and the consequent need for clarity in monitoring – its purpose and objectives, what is being monitored and how results data will be utilised. The paper also discuses the importance of simple, reliable and meaningful indicators used in assessment. It draws on some recent research undertaken amongst Australian park agencies regarding the monitoring of visitor experiences.