Context
Located in south-western Poland, the Stołowe Mountains National Park covers an area of 63.39 square kilometers, of which 57.79 are forested. It is a unique landscape of sandstone and “table” mountains with amazing geological structures.
Fig. 1. Stołowe Mts. National Park
Already popular amongst local visitors, the park was also the setting for “The Chronicles of Narnia” movie, which has attracted a significant number of new tourists in recent years.
To accurately analyze the use of the national park and prevent overtourism and pressure on nature, local community and also visitors, a comprehensive multi-stage program was conducted by Mateusz Rogowski, PhD researcher for the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland). This article is based on his work presented at MMV12 in 2024.
Setting up a park-wide visitor monitoring program
A visitor analysis protocol was developed, and quantitative and qualitative data collected. Attendance data were collected by 38 PYRO counters, installed at the park entrances and at certain strategic locations.
Fig. 2. Map of pedestrian counters in the national park (credit: Mateusz Rogowski)
Measuring the total number of visitors coming to the park has made it possible to find out how visitor numbers have changed year after year.
Preliminary figures dated from 2016 and taken from the Central Statistical Office reported 286,000 annual visitors.
With attendance measured by automatic counters, the recorded total of visits (necessarily different from visitors!) in 2017 reached 871,300 visits, and 920,000 in 2019. From being the 10th most visited national park in 2017, it became 6th in 2019.
Fig. 3. Number of visitors of Stołowe Mts. National Park (credit: Mateusz Rogowski)
Assessment and Accuracy Improvement of Pyro-electric Sensors (Eco-Counter)
While Eco-Counter PYRO counters give reliable trends, counting accuracy in challenging environments need to be considered. It is therefore essential to assess the magnitude of these errors and the conditions under which they occur. This study aimed to evaluate Eco-Counter counting errors in relation to varying visitor flow levels and time intervals between visitors. The research was based on a field experiment and on-site observations.
The assessment outcomes included identifying error types and sizes, as well as developing a calibration formula. Pyroelectric sensors tend to overcount more frequently than undercount. Errors are most common in groups larger than six people and when time intervals between visitors are shorter than three seconds.
Fig. 4. Field experiment assessing the accuracy of PYRO counters
Situations leading to measurement errors:
- Groups passing in the same direction
- Simultaneous passage in both directions
- Close spacing between individuals
- Excessive distance from the sensor
- High temperatures
Through analysis, researchers identified and categorized the types of error circumstances:
- Opposite-direction counting
- Fatigue effect
- Impact of high temperatures on counting accuracy
Fig. 5. On-site observation assessing the accuracy of PYRO systems.
As a result, the average error rate was reduced from ±13% to ±6%.
Visitors seasonality
The attendance data collected allowed to understand the seasonal distribution.
Fig. 6. Evolution of park attendance, year after year, and identification of busiest periods
The analysis also makes it possible to identify the busiest days of the year (peaks in the last week of May, when school trips are most popular), and to draw up a correlation matrix between all the sites, to identify visitor routes.
The overall analysis of the park’s visitor numbers highlighted two highly frequented trails: Szczeliniec Wielki and Błędne Skały. Peak visitor numbers show 1,191 passages per hour on trail 1, and 601 on the second trail. Putting these local footfall figures into perspective shows that these two busiest trails are used by 50% of the park’s total visitors!
The problem of over-frequentation is even more significant as the two trails are short (1.2km and 600m respectively).
Fig. 7. Hourly distribution of visitors in Szczeliniec Wielki during peak season
Fig. 8. Hourly distribution of visitors in Błędne Skały during peak season
Overtourism in Stołowe Mts. National Park
A study was therefore carried out following these initial findings: the width of the trail was measured, and on-site observations were made to understand visitor behavior.
A satisfaction questionnaire was also administered to visitors, and the results showed a strong correlation between peak use and visitor satisfaction.
Fig. 9. Comparative analysis of trail attendance with overall visitor satisfaction an optimal distance estimate
All these analyses led to the definition of a reasonable distance between visitors to guarantee a satisfaction rate > 50% (and controlled anthropic pressure on ecosystems), in this case 2.5m of space between each visitor. This definition of a minimum space, coupled with the width measurements carried out on site made it possible to define an hourly capacity for the two trails, namely 400 people per hour for trail 1 (Szczeliniec Wielki) and 300 people per hour for trail 2 (Błędne Skały).
On this objective basis, a quota system has been set up, with mandatory reservations, decreasing year after year: 400 reservations per hour in 2022, then 350 in 2024 and 300 in 2025.
Impact analysis: alleviation of overtourism in National Park
Overtourism occurs when there are too many visitors to a particular destination.
Several years of research have made it possible to establish a Method of Overtourism Optimisation. Overtourism mitigation actions were developed as part of the method: entry limits, new attractions, new trails and promotion of less popular spots.
A survey was carried out in 2022 and 2023 (following the implementation of these measures) to measure the level of visitor dissatisfaction caused by overuse of the trails. Initial results showed a dissatisfaction rate of 53%, which gradually declined to 19%!
Fig. 10. Method of Overtourism Optimisation in Protected Areas
An analysis of the hourly profile before and after the introduction of the restrictions is also instructive. It shows a drop in ridership at the daily peak, but a slight increase at other times of the day. This shows a more even distribution of traffic throughout the day.
Fig. 11. Comparison of the hourly profile on over-frequented trail no. 1 between July and August of 2021 and 2022
Fig. 12. Comparison of the visitors satisfaction before and after to introduction the Entry limits in Stołowe Mts. National Park
More instructive still, while visitor numbers to the national park have increased, the share of visitors using the two over-visited trails has remained stable, or even fallen slightly. From 53% of all visitors choosing to use the two trails (in 2021), it has fallen to 49% in 2023.
It highlights the more even distribution in time, but in space as well, with visitors spreading out more in the national park.
Literature:
Rogowski, M. 2019, Assessing the tourism carrying capacity of hiking trails in the Szczeliniec Wielki and Błędne Skały in Stołowe Mts. National Park, Forest Research Papers, 80:125-135. https://doi.org/10.2478/frp-2019-0011
Rogowski, M., 2020. Monitoring System of tourist traffic (MSTT) for tourists monitoring in mid-mountain national park, SW Poland. J. Mt. Sci. 17, 2035–2047. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-019-5965-y
Rogowski M. 2021. A method to analyze variability and seasonality the visitors in mountain national park in period 2017-2020 (Stołowe Mts. National Park; Poland), Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 35, 100407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2021.100407
Rogowski, M. 2022a, The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on nature-based tourism in national park. The case of Stołowe Mts. National Park and Karkonosze/Giant Mts. National Park, Poland, Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 13: 572-585. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v13.2(58).25.
Rogowski, M., 2022b. Effects of Covid-19 on tourist’s behavior and number in mountain national park: The case of the Stołowe Mts. National Park, Poland. J. Mt. Sci. 19, 2044–2059. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-021-7205-5
Rogowski, M., Piotrowski, K., 2022, Assessment and Accuracy Improvement of Pyroelectric Sensors (Eco-Counter) Based on Visitors Count in National Park. The Case: Monitoring System of Tourist Traffic in Stołowe Mountains National Park, Poland, Environmental and Climate Technologies, 26: 182–198. https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2022-0015
Rogowski, M., (in print), A method for overtourism optimisation for protected areas, Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism,
