The Measurement of Crowding in Nature-Based Tourism Venues

Abstract

The increasing interest in heritage tourism compounded by seasonally restricted visitation periods and improved access has resulted, in some areas, in high visitor densities at certain times of the year Managers have become increasingly concerned as to the effect such high visitor numbers may have on the quality of the tourism experience. This study examined the relationship between visitor density and perceptions of crowding at Uluru National Park and the effect such perceptions had on the level of visitor satisfaction. The study was undertaken at the peak period in July 1992 and it explored the use of satisfaction potential curves on the derivation of user defined limits of number of other visitors at particular sites within Uluru National Park. A case study of two sites in the Park, the Uluru Climb and Malaku Wilytja are used to illustrate the application of the methodology. The limits thus derived combined with a visitor estimate of the number of other people encountered, provided a means of identifying those people who visited sites at times of high use. An examination of the attitudes and preferences of such visitors afforded insights into the effects of high user density on a variety of crowding variables.