Date of Award
5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (MPRTM)
Department
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Committee Chair/Advisor
Jeffrey C. Hallo
Committee Member
Kennan Adams
Committee Member
Robert Powell
Abstract
Over the past fifty years, Protected Area (PA) management has gradually transitioned from the traditional top-down approach toward a more collaborative and participatory management model, which integrates the needs and perspectives of local communities. This quantitative study used a questionnaire to assess the perceived constraints of visitation, the attitudes toward tourism development, and the level of involvement in decision-making among community members residing near a community interface area on a PA’s boundaries. Structural constraints were the most prominent barrier to visiting (i.e., the poor state of the road and facilities). Residents indicated strong support towards tourism development and nearly half of the respondents want to be partially involved in decision-making. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the community’s perception, attitudes, and desired level of involvement in decision-making regarding PA management that achieves long-term sustainable goals.
Recommended Citation
Santiago Brevan, Louis, "Residents’ Perceptions of Use on Community Interface Areas at Protected Areas’ Boundaries: A Comparison Between Users and Non-users" (2024). All Theses. 4229.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4229