scholarly journals UNDERSTANDING VISITOR PREFERENCES IN OLD OYO NATIONAL PARK, NIGERIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 424-436
Author(s):  
F. C. Arowosafe ◽  
C. J. W. Kuuder ◽  
D. T. Bokyaa
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Destination Choice ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
City Wall ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Travel Experience ◽  
Questionnaire Administration ◽  
Visitor Preferences ◽  
Wildlife Viewing ◽  
Repeat Visits

This study sheds light on visitors’ preferences in Old Oyo National Park (Nigeria) and how these preferences contributed to their travel experience. A total of 120 visitors were reached via convenience sampling employing questionnaire administration. Their preferences were measured with the aid of a Likert scale and choice cards. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and conditional logit specification for inferential statistics. The results revealed that entrance fees, availability of affordable chalet accommodation, wildlife viewing opportunities and visits to the relics of the old city wall of Oyo Ile were the significant site predictors of choosing the park as a preferred tourist destination. Easy access within the park and good staff courtesies also had high means of 4.21 and 4.16 respectively, demonstrating site features and hospitality services rendered lends credence to visitor decision on destination choice. The park management needs to continually research on attractions and make efforts at improving such to entice repeat visits. Keywords: Old Oyo National Park, Hospitality Services, Visitor Preferences, Site Features, Experiences

Do Agritourism Visitors Care about Landscapes? An Examination with Producer-Level Data

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard T. Melstrom ◽  
Cassandra Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Choice Model ◽  
Destination Choice ◽  
Random Utility ◽  
Utility Model ◽  
Cross Section Data ◽  
Section Data ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Tourist Demand ◽  
Landscape Attributes

This article develops a random utility model of tourist demand for agritourism destinations. Prior research has largely focused on modeling the effect of visitor characteristics and demographics on the demand for agritourism. In contrast, we analyze cross-section data on producer-reported visits to measure the effects of destination attributes. This allows us to examine whether tourists choose destinations based on landscape attributes. The destination choice model is applied to agritourism demand in Oklahoma. We calculate elasticities from both conditional logit and Poisson interpretations of the model. The results provide no evidence that landscapes affect the demand for single-day sites, but do suggest local land use plays a role in the demand for overnight destinations.

scholarly journals Landscape Preferences of Visitors to the Danube Floodplains National Park, Vienna

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 2178
Author(s):  
Arne Arnberger ◽  
Renate Eder ◽  
Stefan Preiner ◽  
Thomas Hein ◽  
Ursula Nopp-Mayr
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
National Park ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Floodplain Forests ◽  
Trail Use ◽  
The Social ◽  
Visitor Preferences ◽  
Landscape Types

Successfully managing heavily visited protected riverscapes requires information about visitor preferences for the social, biophysical and infrastructural attributes of river landscapes. This study analyzed the landscape preferences of 520 on-site visitors to the peri-urban Danube Floodplains National Park using an image-based discrete choice experiment. The study explored the effects of various landscape types (water bodies, terrestrial landscapes), recreational infrastructures (trail types, facilities) and trail use conditions (trail user numbers, activities) on respondents’ preferences. The results indicated that natural features, such as floodplain forests in combination with meadows or xeric alluvial biotopes, were preferred, while dense forests and, particularly, open agrarian structures were less preferred. Water bodies with 50% reed cover, few people on the trail, alleys of trees and gravel trails were favored. The outcomes serve as the basis for design recommendations for planned recreational areas surrounding the national park with the aim of absorbing visitors and reducing use pressure on the protected area.

Valuing biodiversity of Dachigam National Park: a choice experiment application

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1569-1585
Author(s):  
Mohammad Younus Bhat ◽  
M.S. Bhatt ◽  
Arfat Ahmad Sofi
Keyword(s):  
Logit Model ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
National Park ◽  
Conditional Logit Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biological Resources ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Park Area ◽  
Dachigam National Park ◽  
Research And Education

PurposeBiodiversity loss has become widespread since current rates are potentially catastrophic for species and habitat integrity, and the Dachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir (India) is not a distinctive case. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) for biodiversity conservation of the Park.Design/methodology/approachA survey-based choice experiment method was carried out at the Dachigam National Park, an area that is threatened by several anthropogenic pressures. Attributes selected for analysis through choice experiments were endangered species, national park area, research and education opportunities the park withholds. To estimate WTP, a monetary variable involving an increase in entry fee was also incorporated. To obtain the estimates, the authors use the augmented conditional logit model.FindingsWTP for the selected attributes per visitor turned out to be ₹302.07 for enhancing the population of endangered species, ₹121.91 for improvement in the park area and ₹171.64 for increasing research and education opportunities the park withholds.Research limitations/implicationsThough the study uncovers very important aspects of evaluating the biological resources, albeit with some limitations. The study estimates WTP for biodiversity conservation using a conditional logit model, which is based on a specific area and population sample. It would be better if a broader sample is considered to trace out the findings for meaningful generalization. Besides, the results can be replicated for similar kinds of samples.Practical implicationsWith the use of benefits transfer method, this study aims to provide policymakers with useful information to manage biodiversity attributes across the Himalayan region.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is to provide a critical understanding of the valuation to facilitate the concerned body for better planning and management of biological resources. The findings of the present study can be used as an indicator of the inherent economic importance of biological resources across the Himalayan range for their better management and conservation that can help in ensuring sustainable utilization of these resources.

Home range and activity patterns of Conepatus semistriatus (Carnivora, Mephitidae) in Emas National Park, Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitana Nunes Cavalcanti ◽  
Luis Diego Alfaro-Alvarado ◽  
Flávio Henrique Guimarães Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
National Park ◽  
Convex Polygon ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Biogeographic Patterns ◽  
Local Convex ◽  
Polygon Method

Skunks (Mephitidae) have not been well studied throughout the Neotropics. In Brazil there is a general lack of data on the ecology, behavior, distribution, systematics, morphology and biogeographic patterns of the two species occurring in the country (Conepatus semistriatus and C. chinga). The focus of this study was on understanding the home range and activity patterns of C. semistriatus. Field research was conducted in the Emas National Park, where three skunks with radio-collars were located on 157 separate occasions. The observed patterns of activity indicate that the species is predominantly nocturnal, with a great expenditure of time on foraging. Temperature had a direct influence on the animal’s behavior, but there was no apparent influence of light on activity patterns. Average home range areas were 1.39 ± 0.87 km2 (Minimum Convex Polygon method) and 0.69 ± 0.25 km2 (Local Convex Hull method). There was high home range overlap between individuals, 0.27 km2 based on the Minimum Convex Polygon method, at sites with easy access to resources.

scholarly journals Informing good lighting in parks through visitors’ perceptions and experiences

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandi Smith ◽  
Jeffrey Hallo
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Color Temperature ◽  
Acadia National Park ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Visitor Experiences ◽  
Human Perceptions ◽  
Nighttime Light ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Visitor Preferences

Park visitors’ experiences and outdoor lighting are linked, but no studies have investigated visitor preferences for lighting in these locations, nor reasons for such preferences.  Visitors’ preferences for lighting may help parks regulate and utilize lighting in a way that both protects resources and provides for quality night experiences.  Brightness, Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), and context affects human perceptions of lighting.  This paper examines these variables and related lighting preferences in settings common to parks: pathways, amphitheaters, and restrooms.  Experimental lighting scenarios were setup at Acadia National Park for brightness ranges typical of each setting.  CCTs were chosen based on those common for outdoor lighting – 3000K (yellow), 4200K (white), and 6000K (blue-white).  Scenario light fixtures were operated by control boxes that enabled participants to switch between the three CCTs and to adjust brightness.  A survey and semi-structure interviews collected data from visitors.  Participants preferred 3000K at both the restroom and amphitheater, but 4200K at the pathway.  A 6000K CCT was undesirable for all locations.  Visitors’ preferred brightness ranged from 1.4 lux on the pathway to 10.5 lux at the restroom.  The most frequently cited reasons for these choices were the desire to provide natural nighttime light levels, maintain natural darkness, create a soothing or subtle setting, and to avoid tripping or falling.  Many participants indicated having both negative and positive experiences in parks caused by outdoor lighting. Parks must address outdoor lighting if they are to comprehensively manage the nighttime environment and nighttime visitor experiences common in these places.

‘I’d like to be just a bit closer’: wildlife viewing proximity preferences at Denali National Park & Preserve

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. Verbos ◽  
C. A. B. Zajchowski ◽  
M. T. J. Brownlee ◽  
J. C. Skibins
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Wildlife Viewing ◽  
Denali National Park

Farmers’ usage preferences for Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-77
Author(s):  
Ildephonse Musafili ◽  
Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze ◽  
Fidèle Niyitanga ◽  
Dave Weatherspoon
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
High Income ◽  
Cultural Property ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conditional Logit ◽  
Behavior Characteristics ◽  
Management Preferences

Purpose Policymakers and stakeholders lack empirical evidence on the effectiveness of community participatory management for agribusiness development and environmental conservation. The purpose of this paper is to assess the management preferences, approaches and practices of farm communities in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (VNP). Design/methodology/approach Primary data collected from 191 farmers were used. A choice experiment on current and potential park management practices and utilization levels was conducted along with a survey on socioeconomic, farm and institutional behavior characteristics. Findings Results show that farmers prefer preserving VNP resources for the production of agribusiness crops that are low input and environmental friendly and provide high income to farmers in addition to handcraft production to enhance cultural, plant and wild animal tourism development. Farmers highly value integrated stakeholder participatory decision making about the parks natural resources. High-income farmers prefer to restore traditional cultural heritage park sites for recreation, and ancestral intellectual and cultural property rights. Research limitations/implications The sample size limited the analysis to a conditional logit model. Originality/value This is the first study to assess the management preferences of farm communities in the VNP area.

scholarly journals Determinants of Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Sightings in Denali National Park

ARCTIC ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-66
Author(s):  
Bridget L. Borg ◽  
Stephen M. Arthur ◽  
Jeffrey A. Falke ◽  
Laura R. Prugh
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Pack Size ◽  
The Road ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Wildlife Viewing ◽  
Denali National Park

Wildlife viewing within protected areas is an increasingly popular recreational activity. Management agencies are often tasked with providing these opportunities, yet quantitative analyses of factors influencing wildlife sightings are lacking. We analyzed locations of GPS-collared wolves and wolf sightings from 2945 trips in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA, to provide a mechanistic understanding of how viewing opportunities are influenced by attributes of wolves and physical, biological, and harvest characteristics. We found that the presence of masking vegetation, den site proximity to the road, pack size, and presence of a wolf harvest closure adjacent to the park affected wolf sightings, and the influence of den proximity on sightings depended on harvest management. Wolf sightings increased with den site proximity to the road in years with a harvest closure adjacent to the park but not in the absence of the closure. The effect of the harvest closure on sightings was similar in magnitude to an increase in pack size by two wolves or a more than a two-fold decrease in masking vegetation. These findings were consistent across a 10-fold change in spatial resolution. Quantitative analysis of the factors influencing wildlife sightings provides valuable insight for agencies tasked with managing viewing opportunities. 

scholarly journals Understanding and managing wildlife jams in national parks: An evaluation in Grand Teton National Park

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Christopher Monz ◽  
Abigail M. Kidd
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Global Positioning System ◽  
National Park ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Grand Teton National Park ◽  
Visitor Behavior ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Wildlife Viewing ◽  
Accuracy Data

As recreation and tourism in parks and protected areas continues to increase, managers face rising concerns of degradation of natural resources and the visitor experience. Many park visitors are seeking opportunities to view or photograph wildlife. Visitor behavior in prime wildlife-viewing areas often involves visitors parking along roadways and exiting their cars to view wildlife. This creates a phenomenon known as a “wildlife jam”, as visitors park informally along a roadway, often becoming pedestrians as they view wildlife, while other motorists attempt to drive through. To date, no studies have comprehensively investigated this phenomenon. Our study characterizes the nature of wildlife jams on the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was used to collect high-accuracy data on location and duration of the jams. Observations during jams characterize size (how many visitors and cars were involved) and visitor behaviors during jams. Preliminary results suggest that jam characteristics including presence of park staff, species involved, and location, can affect the duration, extent, and visitor behaviors that occur. Understanding the nature of these jams will enable park managers to minimize the potential negative effects of jams on wildlife and the visitor experience.   Featured photo by letdown102 on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/57jUok

scholarly journals Activity pattern of Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) in Machiara National Park, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babar Zahoor ◽  
Xuehua Liu ◽  
Basharat Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
National Park ◽  
Black Bear ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Black Bears ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Asiatic Black Bear

Abstract The Asiatic black bear is considered an indicator species of the environment, hence, any change in the environment may alter its activity pattern. We monitored the monthly activity pattern of black bears in the moist temperate forests of Machiara National Park, AJ&K, Pakistan. We used infrared camera traps and indigenous knowledge for data collection from April 2019 to April 2021. Camera traps recorded 109 (inside the forest = 107, outside the forest = 2) independent registrations (IR) within 5541 (692.63 ± 36.72, mean ± SD) camera days. We found that (i) spring and autumn were the lowest activity seasons of black bears inside the forest. (ii) Whereas, the highest activities were recorded in summer with peak activities in August followed by July (χ2 = 203.5, df= 7, P< 0.05). (iii) The activity level sharply declined after August and halted from late November to late April which was clear indication of bears’ hibernation period. We collected indigenous knowledge from 70 selected persons, including hunters, herders, temporary residents and crop raiding victims. We used the data of human observation of latest three years and found that (i) bears remained active from May to November and hibernated rest of the period. (ii) The activities were at their peak inside the forest in summer (May – August) and out of the forest in autumn (September – November) when it preferred to raid the widely cultivated maize crop (Zea mays) in the area. The capturing of black bears by camera traps outside the forest further supported the data provided by local people. Such switching over might have occurred due to the food preferences for Zea mays or easy access to abundant food availability out of the forest area. The current data can help mitigate human black bears conflict and consequently future conservation of black bears in the area.

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