Special Issue "Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs)"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Roberta Sisto
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Management and Territory, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: food-waste valorization and management; consensus building and participatory approaches; social networks analysis; evaluation of LEADER programs; social capital and rural development; organizational models in the agro-food sector; innovation in the agro-food sector
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Giulio Mario Cappelletti
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Management and Territory, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: sustainable tourism; life cycle assessment; circular economy; industrial ecology
Dr. Edgardo Sica
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, Management and Territory, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: analysis of sustainability with a particular focus on bioeconomy transitions
Dr. Piervito Bianchi
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy
Interests: performance management in public-private service networks; network governance; performance; public value creation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Accessible tourism is a concept that has increasingly developed over the past 10–15 years and can be described as the possibility for people with “special needs”, such as the disabled, the elderly, or those with special dietary needs or allergy problems, to be able to enjoy their holiday and leisure fully without any obstacles or difficulty. This is possible through products and services, facilities, and infrastructure specifically addressed to them.

People with disabilities are not a minority, and their numbers are constantly increasing. Indeed, according to the “World Report on Disabilities”, published by the World Health Organization in 2011, more than 15% of the world’s population has a handicap (WHO, 2011). The “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”—article 30—recognizes that persons with disabilities should benefit from numerous rights, including access to places hosting cultural events and tourist services (Unicef 2016).

Tourism in protected natural areas has long been considered an unattainable practice for disabled people, marking an inequality compared to people who do not have disabilities. This gap should not exist in a society based on equality. In addition to the ethical aspects, there are other aspects to consider, e.g., research in medical and sociological studies has shown the benefits for disabled people when they are involved in outdoor experiences, despite the limitations imposed by their disabilities.

Accessibility to protected areas is measured by the degree of accessibility to places and structures connected to them from people with special needs. Accessibility is also valuated according to the possibility for people with special needs to access a structure/open space and to fully enjoy the services and activities within protected areas, by preserving the natural environment and respecting the environmental protection principles. In addition, the increasing accessibility of spaces and structures may offer the opportunity for a more meaningful and incisive sensory experience also for non-disabled persons.

However, the topic of accessibility in protected natural areas has been little investigated in the scientific literature, and hence, there is a need to deepen the topic to allow for a greater diffusion of accessible tourism.

The purpose of this Special Issue is therefore to gather, through a multidisciplinary and coordinated approach, studies and experiences to overcome the difficulties of accessibility from the perspective of:

  • policies, programs, and tools useful to improve the accessibility to protected natural areas;
  • economic incentives tailored to tourist facilities;
  • dissemination of experiences in the field.

Prof. Roberta Sisto
Dr. Giulio Mario Cappelletti
Dr. Edgardo Cristiano Sica
Dr. Piervito Bianchi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • natural protected area
  • accessibility
  • accessible tourism
  • disabled people
  • sustainable tourism

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Article
Public—Private Partnership Governance for Accessible Tourism in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158455 - 28 Jul 2021
Viewed by 448
Abstract
Tourism is a relevant sector in terms of social development, considering its contribution to the quality of life for people with special needs. Accessible tourism, by virtue of its complexity, requires the development of studies on the collaboration among different actors. This leads [...] Read more.
Tourism is a relevant sector in terms of social development, considering its contribution to the quality of life for people with special needs. Accessible tourism, by virtue of its complexity, requires the development of studies on the collaboration among different actors. This leads to this article’s research interest in the public—private partnership (PPP) as a managerial tool that allows cooperation and that can support the development of accessible tourism objectives in marine protected areas (MPAs). Applying the case study methodology, we investigate certain aspects characterizing PPPs governance. Answering the two proposed research questions, we conclude that (1) sharing similar moral values facilitates trust between the partners and (2) differing skills of the partners represent advantages in facing the complexity related to accessible tourism objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs))
Article
Perceived Value and Its Predictive Relationship with Satisfaction and Loyalty in Ecotourism: A Study in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park in Spain
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7860; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147860 - 14 Jul 2021
Viewed by 366
Abstract
Ecotourism involves visiting natural areas to carry out environmentally friendly activities, contributing to environmental care. The present study aims to: (i) establish the dimensions of the perceived value in ecotourism applied to a natural park, (ii) analyze the dimensions of perceived value that [...] Read more.
Ecotourism involves visiting natural areas to carry out environmentally friendly activities, contributing to environmental care. The present study aims to: (i) establish the dimensions of the perceived value in ecotourism applied to a natural park, (ii) analyze the dimensions of perceived value that predict ecotourism satisfaction, and (iii) identify the dimensions of perceived value that predict ecotourists’ intentions to return, recommend, and provide positive word of mouth about the ecotourism destination as loyalty variables. The research was conducted in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park in Spain. The sample taken in situ consisted of 341 questionnaires. For data analysis, factor analysis and the stepwise multiple regression method were used. The results showed three dimensions of perceived value: economic, functional, and social and emotional. The “functional” value was the most significant predictor of ecotourists’ satisfaction, intentions to return, and to provide positive word of mouth. Likewise, the “functional” and the “social and emotional” dimensions were important predictors of tourists’ intentions to recommend these places. These findings will serve as management guides for different institutions and tourism service providers of protected areas to develop products according to tourists’ perceived value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs))
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Article
Understanding Motivations and Segmentation in Ecotourism Destinations. Application to Natural Parks in Spanish Mediterranean Area
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4802; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094802 - 25 Apr 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 593
Abstract
Ecotourism is one of the tourism variants with more annual growth. Motivation has become a fundamental criterion for travel behavior. Segmentation is used to identify the market niches of different tourism products and services. This study collects these three elements and is designed [...] Read more.
Ecotourism is one of the tourism variants with more annual growth. Motivation has become a fundamental criterion for travel behavior. Segmentation is used to identify the market niches of different tourism products and services. This study collects these three elements and is designed to examine demand segmentation and motivations in ecotourism. The analysis was carried out in the Albufera and Serranía de Cuenca Natural Parks, both located in the Mediterranean area in Spain. The analysis sample consists in 349 surveys obtained in situ. For the data analysis, a factor analysis and nonhierarchical K-media segmentation were performed. The results show eight motivational dimensions: “Interpersonal relationships”, “Self-development”, “Escape”, “Building personal relationships”, “Nature”, “Ego-defensive function”, “Rewards”, and “Fun”. According to tourists’ motivations, three ecotourist segments are obtained: “Nature”, “Multiple motives”, and “Reward and Escape”. This research can assist companies and institutions to improve tourism service offers and perform efficient marketing planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs))
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Article
Inclusivity and Responsible Tourism: Designing a Trademark for a National Park Area
Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010013 - 22 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 678
Abstract
Responsible tourism provides a particular lens by which to consider how to improve the sustainability of tourism with the ambition to enhance the positive impacts of mainstream tourism, while reducing the negative ones. In this view, facilitating travel for people with disabilities represents [...] Read more.
Responsible tourism provides a particular lens by which to consider how to improve the sustainability of tourism with the ambition to enhance the positive impacts of mainstream tourism, while reducing the negative ones. In this view, facilitating travel for people with disabilities represents an exceptional opportunity, and the idea that what is accessible to one traveler may be very difficult to access to another one with a different type of disability, makes inclusive tourism a relevant part of the global sustainable tourism agenda. The present study aims to provide empirical evidence on the adoption of the principles of responsible and inclusive tourism within a national park area. To this end, the paper discusses the case of the “E-Parks” research project which investigated the area of the Gargano National Park (Italy) with a special focus on the problems faced by tourists with disabilities, and on the improvements to enable all tourists to have the full enjoyment of their tourism experience. The study contributes, therefore, to enriching the empirical literature on inclusive and responsible tourism that has its application in the design of trademark procedural guidelines enabling tourists with different disabilities to access a protected natural area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs))
Article
Accessible Tourism in Natural Park Areas: A Social Network Analysis to Discard Barriers and Provide Information for People with Disabilities
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9915; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239915 - 27 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 547
Abstract
Although regulations designed to meet the necessities of tourists with disabilities are allowing disables to travel more, they are still encountering barriers and discriminatory practices. A relevant obstacle in making the tourist policy effective is represented by the lack of information and communication [...] Read more.
Although regulations designed to meet the necessities of tourists with disabilities are allowing disables to travel more, they are still encountering barriers and discriminatory practices. A relevant obstacle in making the tourist policy effective is represented by the lack of information and communication about needs and expectations of disabled categories. In this context, the present paper focuses on the coproduction process of tourist public policies for disables by looking at the network that facilitates communication among the actors taking part in the process. We adopt the Social Network Analysis (SNA) to study the policy network, i.e., how public administrations and policy users (associations of citizens/people with disabilities and entrepreneurs) exchange information about the accessibility to the Gargano National Park, a protected natural area in the South of Italy. In particular, we investigate the role of entrepreneurial stakeholders in channeling information and the presence of policy brokers, i.e., stakeholders that spread the policies to the whole network. Our findings show that a limited number of actors involved in granting accessibility to tourists with disabilities is engaged in information exchanges. Moreover, information flows are guided by only one public administration that plays, therefore, a key role in the implementation of policies that support the parks’ accessibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Accessible Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (PNAs))
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