The Perception of Cultural Ecosystem Services by Tourists in Brazilian Protected Areas

TL;DR

This study explores how tourists in Brazilian protected areas perceive cultural ecosystem services, finding that natural beauty and infrastructure are most valued, while sociocultural aspects are overlooked.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel method for analyzing TripAdvisor reviews to assess tourist perceptions of cultural ecosystem services in protected areas.

Findings

Tourists predominantly associate positive adjectives with aesthetic and structural aspects of protected areas.

Sociocultural and recreational aspects receive less attention and fewer negative associations than expected.

Incorporating sociocultural elements into management could enhance community engagement and sustainable conservation.

Abstract

Protected areas play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, nature tourism, and the provision of ecosystem services, with cultural ecosystem services shaping key human‐nature interactions. Understanding how visitors perceive these protected areas, whether positively or negatively, is essential for supporting their conservation. This study investigates tourists' perceptions of cultural ecosystem services in 27 Strictly Protected Areas in southeastern Brazil, based on TripAdvisor reviews. Nouns were categorized into four main aspects: structural (physical attributes), aesthetic (nature experiences), sociocultural (culture, religiosity, education) and recreational (leisure activities). Adjectives were classified as positive or negative. Positive adjectives were predominantly associated with all aspects, particularly aesthetics and structure. Structural aspects were more frequently associated with negative descriptors, while aesthetic and sociocultural aspects received fewer negative associations than expected by chance. Additionally, sociocultural and recreational aspects also received little attention. These results suggest that tourists are mainly attracted to the natural aesthetic qualities of protected areas, followed by structural features. This positive relationship between tourists and nature has implications for strengthening conservation efforts, emphasizing the value of natural beauty and well‐maintained infrastructure. Furthermore, incorporating sociocultural elements into management practices could foster stronger collaboration between managers and local communities, promoting a more inclusive and sustainable approach to protected area management. Ultimately, the study highlights the importance of integrating natural, structural, and cultural elements into conservation strategies to improve both ecological preservation and local community involvement.

Understanding both the positive and negative interactions between humans and nature is essential, as they directly influence public support for conservation in protected areas. Our results show that visitors particularly value natural beauty and well‐developed infrastructure, while sociocultural and recreational aspects receive less attention. These findings highlight a generally positive relationship between visitors and nature but also emphasize the need to better integrate sociocultural dimensions to foster community engagement and promote sustainable management in protected areas.

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