Health and Well-Being in Protected Natural Areas—Visitors’ Satisfaction in Three Different Protected Natural Area Categories in Catalonia, Spain

Estela Inés Farías-Torbidoni, Sebastià Mas-Alòs, Gonzalo Gil-Moreno- de-Mora, Pere Lavega-Burgués, Marta Castañer, Eloisa Lorente-Catalán, Jordi Seguí-Urbaneja and Enric Lacasa-Claver
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Estela Inés Farías-Torbidoni: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Sebastià Mas-Alòs: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Gonzalo Gil-Moreno- de-Mora: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Pere Lavega-Burgués: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Marta Castañer: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Eloisa Lorente-Catalán: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Jordi Seguí-Urbaneja: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain
Enric Lacasa-Claver: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universidad de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: Protected natural areas (PNAs) can be a source of health and well-being, but little research has been carried out regarding outcomes in terms of satisfaction (the difference between motivations and benefits). Inspired by previous research that examines the motivations and benefits perceived by visitors to various PNAs in Canada, and based on importance–performance analysis (IPA) and service quality gap (GAP) analysis theory, the aim of this study was to identify the outcomes generated by protected areas in terms of satisfaction, especially with regard to the PNAs’ individual protection categories. The study was based on survey data from visitors ( n = 360) to three PNAs in Catalonia: one national park, one natural park and one periurban park. The results indicate that anticipated environmental, psychological, physical and social benefits were of major personal value in choosing to visit a PNA. The results indicate that, generally, visitors were satisfied with regard to the benefits anticipated. Differences between parks in this respect could be explained in part by sociodemographic factors and visitors’ behavior. The results are discussed in terms of their applicability and how they relate to the role of PNAs in the promotion of visitors’ health and well-being.

Keywords: physical activity; health-related physical activities; motivations; benefits; national parks; natural parks; periurban parks; management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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