The visitor profile in protected areas: comparison between data from different Brazilian protected areas

Abstract

 Knowing the visitor profile of an area is important, as it assists managers in knowing their customers and how they use the recreation settings in protected areas. Although Brazil has no uniform data collection or visitor monitoring program across ICMBio conservation units (UCs), this paper presents data from seven UC that participated in a visitor monitoring pilot study. The survey was available in Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and German. The study was carried out with support from the US Forest Service International Programs office, in partner with ICMBio, as well as Brazilian and United States universities. A minimum sample was not defined. The data collection methodology included face-to-face interviews using electronic tablets. Charts and graphs were created with the results. Walking on trails was primary activity for many people, followed by wildlife observation. Almost all respondents would visit again and would recommend the visit to others. This research will help managers to understand the tourism and public use that occurs in these protected areas. The information is valuable to resource managers as it can help improve the facilities, services and experiences at these protected areas. For future studies, frequent data collections and samples based on the number of visitors are suggested, which demands an effort regarding the count of visitors.