Graduation Assignment - Leon Alsemgeest, University of Professional Education Hogeschool In Holland Delft, The Netherlands

Download Report

• Stakeholders’ Perceptions And Future Trends Of Tourism In Rila National Park, Bulgaria

Sustainable tourism development is in very beginning stage in Bulgaria, but verification of two National Parks as PAN Parks, give reasons to think about the viability of sustainable tourism development in Bulgarian context, in Bulgarian Parks, and in Rila Park, in particular. This study examines stakeholders’ perceptions of tourism in Rila National Park regionand the perspectives of Rila Park as PAN Park in Bulgarian context. Stakeholders’perceptions are analyzed through the four dimensions of sustainability: ecological, economical, and social – cultural and institutional.
This study showed that employment opportunities and economic perspectives are highly valued by most of the stakeholders in Rila Park region and environmental concerns remained secondary which define the prevalence of anthropocentric perspectives. In addition, this study showed that most of the stakeholders like the idea about realizations of tourism plans for construction and reconstruction of big and mega ski resorts in Rila Park region. The experience of Bulgaria with ski tourism shows that such tourism at many ski winter resorts is quite unsustainable. This leads to questioning sustainability respective of tourism development in Rila Park region. MSc thesis: Sonya Isaeva Georgieva(2007)
download doc  

• Tourism and Nature Conservation in Retezat National Park - A Case study of sustainable financing mechanisms and tourism

Romania can be considered as Europe’s poorest nation. At the same time it households the most pristine and untouched nature areas in Europe. The last decade nature based tourism is growing rapidly. This tendency has left its marks clearly behind on the environment. In Romania many protected areas, such as nature parks, national parks and biospheres, deal with insufficient funding to carry out their programs. However, if tourism is managed properly, it potentially provides opportunities to earn (foreign) revenues. This report presents the results of a study on Retezat National Park (RNP) to see how sustainable tourism can benefit nature conservation and preservation of wildlife. It gives suggestions on how to raise funds for nature conservation with sustainable tourism as driving engine. These options are assessed for the context of RNP. The outcomes show that raising revenues for nature conservation in Romania is difficult but not impossible..
Jeroen van den Bergh, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Jessica Kuijs, Wageningen University, The Netherlands (2006)
download doc   download appendices

• Evaluation of Co-Management in National Parks
The case of Retezat National Park, Romania

Including local participation in the management of protected areas is becoming an increasingly central part of conservation endeavours. This new movement, collaborative management or co-management, allows local stakeholders to be involved in a substantial way in the Park’s management activities. Co-management is often seen as a keyword to sustainable development.

This thesis report presents the findings of an evaluation of co-management in Retezat National Park, Romania. The objective of this thesis was twofold:
- To evaluate co-management arrangements in Retezat National Park (RNP), Romania
- To develop a co-management evaluation framework for protected areas

This study identified a need to evaluate co-management on the less tangible and immeasurable elements of collaboration (i.e. ‘process’ level). In addition, this study showed that for co-management to be successful, the abstract factors (e.g. ‘trust’ and ‘power’) are very critical;without taking these less tangible factors in consideration no partnership can function successfully. Evaluation of co-management in national parks should therefore implicate analysis on both product and process level..
Marlies van Hal, Wageningen University, The Netherlands (2006)
download doc   download appendices

• Sustainable Tourism to Oulanka NP:
An analysis of tourism resources and future trend

This study analyses the tourism resources of Oulanka NP and the relevant future trends. It assesses possibilities for new product development which respond to current trends and which have the goal to increase the tourism potential. The study focuses especially on the current rate of cooperation between stakeholders of the different tourism sectors related to Oulanka NP and potential integrative co operations between stakeholders that could increase the tourism potential of Oulanka NP.
Olga van der Pol, Socio-Spatial Analysis, Wageningen University, the Netherlands, (2006)
download doc

• Sustainable tourism development in Gemenc
- Verified PAN Park in 2011?
Practical implementation of the PAN Parks Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy for the Gemenc area in Hungary.
Sophia van Dijk, NHTV - Breda (2002)
download doc

• Method for assessment of the sustainable tourism potential
- a pre-feasibility study
A manual that can be used as a pre-feasibility study by the individual candidate PAN Parks to assess their current tourism carrying capacity and tourism potential.
Marlies Van Zetten, NHTV - Breda (2000)
download doc

• Field test and assessment of sustainable tourism potential of Duna-Dráva National Park
A field test of the manual developed by Marlies van Zetten (NHTV - 2000) and at the same time an assessment of the current tourism carrying capacity and tourism potential of Duna-Dráva National Park (Hungary).
Mark Burg, NHTV - Breda (2002)
download doc

• A Sustainable Future for PAN Parks Regions
Guidelines for protected area managers in order to reach consensus on future of sustainable tourism development.
Celine Uithol, NHTV - Breda (2000)
download doc


• PAN Parks Manual for a Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy (Consultancy report)
The PAN Parks Manual for Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy (STDS) forms part of the PAN Parks Toolkit. It aims at providing protected areas, local communities and stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to formulate, implement and monitor a STDS.
Niek Beunders, Marlies van Zetten (2001)
download doc

Visitor Management

• Managing the visitor experience within Europe's protected areas
The aim of this study has been to provide a broad snapshot of how Europe’s protected areas manage for the visitor experience. This has been achieved by taking a sample of twelve parks - with special emphasis on Mediterranean parks - and investigating a range of management elements that to varying degrees have an impact on the experience of visitors.
Daniel Taylor (2004)
download doc

• Communicating Sustainable Tourism in National Parks: Exploring transfer Methods of Environmental Aspects to Visitors
A study exploring interpretation and communication towards visitors in 2 Italian national parks, Abruzzo and Monte Sibillini.
Wouter Baumann, Wafeningen University (2003)
download pdf

• Field test Visitor Management Plan in Mercantour National Park
A field test of the method developed for writing a Visitor Management Plan, based on the PAN Parks Principles and Criteria, this field test will result in a Visitor Management Plan to be used by Mercantour park management (France).
Mylène Van Der Donk, Wageningen University (2001)
download doc

• Visitor management PAN Parks
A thesis based on visitor expectations and on ways to maximise the satisfaction of the PAN Parks experience.
Mylène Van Der Donk, NHTV - Breda (2000)
download doc

Tourism and communities

• Sustainable Tourism Development: The role of PAN Park communities
A self-assessment method enabling surrounding communities of participating protected areas to indicate what knowledge, skills and capacities should be present within the protected area when successfully implementing sustainable tourism development.
Erika F.M. Frey, NHTV - Breda (2000)
download doc

• Successful collaboration factors between local communities and protected areas in Europe towards sustainable tourism development
A case study into success factors for sustainable tourism development in and around protected areas based upon success stories and best practice case studies in Abruzzo National Park in Italy, Peak District National Park in the United Kingdom and Hohe Tauern National Park in Austria
Elise Allart, Bournemouth University (2001)
download doc

Cost - Benefit analysis

• The impact of school groups on the environment of Bieszczady National Park
A study into the organisational and behavioural patterns among participants of school groups visiting Bieszczady National Park, as well as the links between the visitors' conduct and damage to vegetation.
Jacek Jankowski, Central European University (1997)
download doc

• Synergy between nature conservation and development
A framework for analyzing the impacts of the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy in Natura 2000 sites
Nicoleta Cutumisu, Wageningen University (2003)
download pdf

• Pay per nature view: Understanding tourism revenues for effective management plans (Consultancy report)
This report asks two main questions: what mechanisms can protected areas use to raise funds from tourism and  to what extent should protected areas raise funds from tourism. The report describes the six survival essentials for protected areas, and uses these as a context for analysis of the role and potential of tourism in protected areas.
download pdf

• Tourism providing economic benefits for nature conservation
- The role of the private and the public sector
This study contributes to the efforts made for obtaining a broader insight in the opportunities available for financing nature conservation in protected areas and national parks. This is done by focusing on the issues surrounding the private and the public sector and the importance of partnerships in providing financial resources through tourism.
Elisabeth R. Wiersma, Wageningen University (2005)
download doc


Marketing

• PAN Parks business partners
A quick scan of existing environmental assessment systems for the tourism industry. It is an attempt to identify which of these systems can be useful for PAN Parks.
Ingrid Roerhorst, The Netherlands (2000)
download doc

• Marketing for National Parks -
A comparative study of Bieszczady (Poland), Slovensky raj (Slovakia) and Retezat (Romania) National Parks
An analysis of three national parks proposing the implementation of a marketing vision that combines marketing for non-profit organisations and for tourism in order to achieve better performance both in nature conservation and in visitor education and management.
Éva-Terézia Vesely, Central European University (2000)
download doc


• PAN Parks concept development -
A blueprint for the green capitals of Europe
Guidelines and recommendations on how to develop a marketing concept for the PAN Parks Foundation as part of a marketing strategy.
Marloes Van De Wetering, NHTV - Breda (2000)

download doc


• Potential Financial Instruments for PAN Parks (Consultancy report)
A report providing examples of and ideas for financial instruments that could generate funds for the PAN Parks organisation and the individual PAN Parks.
Ingrid Roerhorst, The Netherlands (2000)
download doc