Visitors count! Guidance for protected areas on the economic analysis of visitation

Abstract

The value of protected areas is often hidden from direct view. Once managers understand the number and behaviour of visitors they host, and the revenues and costs they generate, informed decisions on management plans and tourism strategies can be made. Demonstrating the positive impact of protected areas on the local economy can lead to greater buy-in and ownership of conservation practices and places, less poaching and land encroachment, and may also help offset some of the human-wildlife conflict where it occurs. Drawing on case studies from around the world, Visitors Count! aims to build awareness, knowledge and capacity internationally on how to best undertake economic evaluations of tourism in protected areas, and thereby contribute towards a globally acknowledged standard methodology.