Ecotourism as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development: Conservation Governance in Mountain Regions

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I find the investigation of this study very interesting and well conducted. The introduction is very well documented, the methodology is complex but there are some aspects that, in my opinion, could improve this scientific paper (especially in the results and discussion section).

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear Reviewer:

We are going to highlight our answers to all your comments and suggestions highlighting them.

 

COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

I find the investigation of this study very interesting and well conducted. The introduction is very well documented, the methodology is complex but there are some aspects that, in my opinion, could improve this scientific paper (especially in the results and discussion section).

Thank you for your comments, our research was done during a quite long period and with a lot of effort going to the territory and so on.

 

Here are a few suggestions:

 

Figure S1, to be cartographically correct, it is mandatory to add the map scale and North orientation.

A new map with the exact location of the protected areas is necessary so that a non-expert of the study area can understand some explanations in the text, such as: "The park does not encompass territory within the municipal boundaries of Aínsa-Sobrarbe, although Aínsa does not constitute part of the park proper, its strategic location renders it an optimal departure point for exploring the park's various zones. From Aínsa, visitors can readily access specific sectors of the park, including the Añisclo canyon and the Escuaín gorges" (pag. 12-13).

 

Thank you for your comment, in accordance with your recommendations, we have completed the map illustrating the territorial context and have included an additional map providing greater detail regarding the protected areas and the municipalities within the region.

 

 

 

Page 5: "In Spain, the significance of tourism's significance is even more pronounced…….". It can be rephrased as: "In Spain, the tourism's significance is even more pronounced…….".

Thank you for your suggestion, we have  changed this.

 

 

Page 6 (penultimate paragraph before 1.2), before the concept of overtourism be presented, I suggest that you insert a short paragraph about another very important concept that leads to overtourism and explain it in the context of your study. It is about the carrying capacity of the environment caused on the one hand, by too much pressure of tourists on the space and the environmental components of the space and, on the other hand, by too much pressure of tourists on the local community.

 

We appreciate this valuable suggestion from the reviewer. We have incorporated a paragraph about the concept of environmental carrying capacity on page 6, as recommended, before introducing the concept of overtourism. In this new paragraph, we explain how carrying capacity relates to both the pressure exerted by tourists on the physical space and environmental components, as well as the impact on the local community. This addition enriches the theoretical framework of the study and provides a more solid conceptual foundation for understanding the phenomenon of overtourism in the context of our research. The added paragraph can be found on page 6, it is the third-to-last paragraph before section 1.2

This is the paragraph: Carrying capacity is a key concept for identifying the sustainable limits of tourism activity in a given destination. It refers to the maximum number of visitors that a place can accommodate without causing irreversible negative impacts on either the environment or the socio-cultural sphere. When tourist flows exceed certain thresholds, two main types of adverse effects may arise: on the one hand, physical and ecological degradation of the area, such as ecosystem deterioration, pollution of natural resources, and infrastructure wear and tear; on the other hand, impacts on the local population, including changes in quality of life, gentrification processes, loss of cultural identity, and overburdening of public services. Exceeding the carrying capacity creates the conditions for the emergence of overtourism

 

I suggest structuring the ideas from the interviews in the form of a table in order to synthesize the information and to retain the key aspects. The table can be structured according to the analyzed aspects: Economic Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Social Impacts. For each category of impact analyzed (economic, environmental, social), the positive and negative aspects of the studied issue should be underlined from the perspective of: local community, tourism business owners and operators, mountain sport technicians and researchers, representatives from the FCQ etc.

Thank you for your suggestion, we have re-examined our content analysis of the interviews to synthesize the findings in line with the suggestions provided, and have structured the information in tabular form. The table compiled according to your recommendations is presented below.

 

Underlying Contents	Economic Impacts	Environmental Impacts	Social Impacts
Development of ecotourism	[+] Sustainable economic development, reduction of tourism seasonality [-] Lack of planned investment in essential infrastructure: wastewater treatment and waste management	[+] Environmental sustainability [-] Not identified	[+] Increased awareness among residents regarding nature conservation and potential for population retention [-] Significant effort required from small businesses to adapt their tourism offerings
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic	[+] Emergence of a new visitor profile interested in nature tourism after the pandemic, broadening of the target audience [-] Interruption of tourism-related economic activity during lockdown	[+] Natural recovery due to the cessation of tourism activity [-] Environmental sustainability issues caused by overcrowding after the pandemic	[+] Increased awareness among residents of the territory’s dependence on the tourism sector [-] Serious difficulties in maintaining small entrepreneurial businesses in the area
Role of public institutions	[+] Existence of public-private management agreements for economic activities, with the municipal slaughterhouse of Aínsa being a key example [-] Actions more focused on mass tourism development (e.g., car access to isolated and fragile sites), rather than promoting sustainability	[+] Improved management of some protected natural areas through public-private agreements [-] Limited institutional involvement in environmental conservation	[+] Preservation of traditional livestock farming enabled by the management of the Aínsa slaughterhouse [-] Lack of solutions for the limited housing accessibility for potential new residents
Influence of the FCQ (Fundación para la Conservación del Quebrantahuesos)	[+] Strong support for livestock activity and gastronomic tourism through the provision of high-quality, local meat via the slaughterhouse [-] Challenges in reconciling certain economic or tourism activities with the foundation's conservation-oriented mission	[+] Promotion of birdwatching and sustainable tourism; contribution to the development of ecotourism [-] Uneven influence across different areas of the region	[+] Preservation of traditional livestock farming supported by the slaughterhouse management [-] Many of the foundation’s projects remain unknown to the local social environment

 

 

On page 14 (3.5. Social Impacts) the following statement is made: "Cultural preservation emerged as a complex dimension of social impact, with interview responses revealing both positive outcomes and underlying tensions. A substantial majority (85%) of interviewed residents felt that ecotourism initiatives had contributed to the revitalization of local traditions and crafts…….". What does 85% of residents interviewed mean? 85% of how many? (You mentioned that only 4 semi-structured interviews were applied to the representatives from local community). Explain, please! (The same situation for "concerns expressed by 25% of respondents").

Thank you for this important clarification. You are right to point this out in our research. We recognise that our use of percentages (85% and 25%) is not entirely accurate. We have therefore reworded the paragraph. So, we have revised the text in section 3.5 (Social Impacts) as follows:

Most of the community representatives interviewed believed that ecotourism initiatives had contributed to the revitalisation of local traditions and crafts... However, this cultural renaissance was tempered by concerns expressed by one respondent regarding...

 

 

The 8th objective proposed in the paper (Contribute to theoretical understanding) is not very well presented. It is about sub-items b - Comparing findings with other cases and c - Identifying generalizable lessons and best practices (Table S1). I suggest introducing some explanations related to sub-items b and c in the discussion.

Thank you for your interesting comment, we have added a subsection in the discussion section, in 4.5 Theoretical Implications. 

 

I recommend structuring the conclusions in the form of a SWOT ANALYSIS, highlighting in detail: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities (these are already formulated and can be kept as such) and threats.

 

Thank you very much for your interesting comment, we have changed the paragraphs and give them a SWAT Analysis format.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article is very interesting because of the choice of topic. Tourism today has many impacts on the lives of the population and resources. A strategic approach is therefore very important. The authors have recognized the importance of the above and after conducting research, they conclude that tourism can have positive effects on the development of the mountainous region.

Author Response

Reviewer: The article is very interesting because of the choice of topic. Tourism today has many impacts on the lives of the population and resources. A strategic approach is therefore very important. The authors have recognized the importance of the above and after conducting research, they conclude that tourism can have positive effects on the development of the mountainous region.

Authors: We sincerely appreciate your comments. We are very pleased with the work we have carried out, which has involved a significant investment of time and effort.

Best regards,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper provides a comprehensive and well-contextualized introduction, situating the study within existing theoretical frameworks (actor-centred institutionalism, sustainable tourism, land stewardship) and empirical research (ecotourism impacts, governance models).

The paper aims to study the need for integrated approaches to mountain sustainability and collaborative governance. For that purpose, there is a clear linkage to global sustainability agendas and a detailed background on Sobrarbe’s socio-ecological context.

The paper clearly states its objectives and employs a mixed-methods approach, involving qualitative research, documental analysis and theoretical framework. It’s transparent methodology and explicit ethical considerations and limitations are consistent with a scientific paper. For further improvements, maybe you can consider the inclusion of explicit hypotheses and to enlarge the interview sample, to improve generalization.

The discussion is coherent and compelling, linking findings to theory and practice, balancing the view of ecotourism’s trade-offs and a critical reflection on governance challenges (power imbalances).

Results are clearly organized by research objectives, in terms of quantitative data and qualitative themes (community perceptions, governance dynamics), making use of tables and supplementary materials and triangulating interviews and documentary data.

The paper is well-referenced, blending foundational and recent sources.

Conclusions are thoroughly supported by results and literature. Again, just thinking in further research, recommendations lack specific policy mechanisms.

This is a strong, well-structured paper that makes valuable theoretical and practical contributions.

Author Response

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper provides a comprehensive and well-contextualized introduction, situating the study within existing theoretical frameworks (actor-centred institutionalism, sustainable tourism, land stewardship) and empirical research (ecotourism impacts, governance models).

The paper aims to study the need for integrated approaches to mountain sustainability and collaborative governance. For that purpose, there is a clear linkage to global sustainability agendas and a detailed background on Sobrarbe’s socio-ecological context.

The paper clearly states its objectives and employs a mixed-methods approach, involving qualitative research, documental analysis and theoretical framework. It’s transparent methodology and explicit ethical considerations and limitations are consistent with a scientific paper. For further improvements, maybe you can consider the inclusion of explicit hypotheses and to enlarge the interview sample, to improve generalization.

The discussion is coherent and compelling, linking findings to theory and practice, balancing the view of ecotourism’s trade-offs and a critical reflection on governance challenges (power imbalances).

Results are clearly organized by research objectives, in terms of quantitative data and qualitative themes (community perceptions, governance dynamics), making use of tables and supplementary materials and triangulating interviews and documentary data.

The paper is well-referenced, blending foundational and recent sources.

Conclusions are thoroughly supported by results and literature. Again, just thinking in further research, recommendations lack specific policy mechanisms.

This is a strong, well-structured paper that makes valuable theoretical and practical contributions.

Authors: 

Thank you very much for your comments. We are very satisfied with the work carried out, which required considerable time and effort. We will take your valuable recommendations into account for future research on this topic.

Best regards,

The authors

Author Response File: Author Response.docx