Evaluation of Tourist Services in the Szczecin Landscape Park Puszcza Bukowa (Poland): a Study Based on Tourism Surveys

Abstract

The article attempts to assess the state and directions of development of tourist services in the area of the Szczecin Landscape Park Puszcza Bukowa (SLP PB) and the directions of their development. The article presents the preliminary results of surveys conducted in 2019 using the PAPI method in the SLP PB area as part of the international REGE project. The survey involved 311 respondents visiting the SLP PB area. The main motivation for the visit (86%) of the respondents in SLP PB is leisure and recreation, and visitors spend time primarily on walking (49%) and cycling (25%). The vast majority of respondents (79%) are aware that the area they are in is protected. At the same time, only 56% of all respondents correctly defined the form of protection of the studied area as a landscape park, which indicates the need for further educational activities. Although the spontaneous associations of the respondents focused on the natural values of this area, the questions about the advantages and disadvantages of the response area concerned primarily tourist infrastructure, services provided or lack thereof. The respondents pointed primarily to service deficits in the area under study in the scope of: guided tours (23%), events (20%) and lack of tourist information points (15%).

Keywords

• landscape park
• protected areas
• Szczecin Landscape Park Puszcza Bukowa
• services
• tourism