Attitudes and perceptions of local residents and tourists – a comparative study of the twin national parks of Aggtelek (Hungary) and Slovak Karst (Slovakia)

A comparative study of the twin national parks, Aggtelek (Hungary) and Slovak Karst (Slovakia), reveals that while both local residents and tourists generally hold positive views toward these UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a notable minority of locals express dissatisfaction, likely due to perceived limited influence over park decisions. The research highlights that forests are the most visited natural resource by locals, whereas caves are the primary attraction for tourists. Despite minimal conflict between locals and tourists, both groups support increased tourism. Additionally, the study identifies a small but significant segment of visitors who consider themselves geotourists, though geotourism is not widely recognized among locals or park management. The research also notes that cave tourism in Hungary is largely driven by school education, while the term 'karst' is less familiar to visitors, particularly on the Hungarian side. The study employed a questionnaire survey to gather data on attitudes and perceptions.

Telbisz, T., Mari, L., Gessert, A., Nestorová Dická, J., & Gruber, P. (2022). Attitudes and perceptions of local residents and tourists – a comparative study of the twin national parks of Aggtelek (Hungary) and Slovak Karst (Slovakia). Acta Carsologica, 51(1), 93–109. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v51i1.10683