Assessing the Recreational Resource Value of National Park Based on Visitor Perception—A Case of Three-River-Source National Park in China

National parks serve as critical practical sites for advancing the concept of “harmonious coexistence between humans and nature” and hold a strategic role in establishing global ecological security barriers. Scholars and decision-makers have expressed significant interest in rigorous assessments of the recreational resource value in national parks. This paper focuses on the Three-River-Source National Park, examining the characteristics and components of its recreational resource value through the lens of human–environment relationship theory. Analysis spans dimensions of geological and geomorphological value, ecological service value, historical and cultural value, and aesthetic landscape value. By extracting visitor comments rich in vocabulary related to their perceptions, this study compares variations in resource values and the “resource value–visitor perception” synergy within Three-River-Source National Park, employing text analysis, semantic network analysis, and coordination analysis methods. The findings reveal that (1) Visitor perceptions of recreational resource value display a clear hierarchy, with aesthetic landscape value (43.6%) ranking highest, followed by geological and geomorphological value (26.7%), historical and cultural value (19.3%), and ecological service value (10.4%), showing significant variation among categories; the vocabulary across these value types exhibits a pronounced long-tail distribution. (2) The recreational resource value in the park forms a distinct core centered on prominent attractions, accompanied by patterns of vocabulary aggregation and dispersion. (3) Visitors demonstrate strong synergy in their perception of geological and aesthetic value, weaker perception regarding historical and cultural value, and a relatively narrow understanding of ecological service value. This research enhances public comprehension of the recreational resource value of national parks and provides a scientific foundation for the conservation and sustainable use of recreational resources in national parks, advancing the realization of their recreational functions.

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Publication Details

Journal
Land
Published
2024-11-11
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111882
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
3.40

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article

Assessing the Recreational Resource Value of National Park Based on Visitor Perception—A Case of Three-River-Source National Park in China

Ling‐en Wang, Zhenhua Huang, Xiao Luo
3 citations
Land
Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research
3.40
article

Assessing the Recreational Resource Value of National Park Based on Visitor Perception—A Case of Three-River-Source National Park in China

Ling‐en Wang, Zhenhua Huang, Xiao Luo
article en
3 citations

Abstract

National parks serve as critical practical sites for advancing the concept of “harmonious coexistence between humans and nature” and hold a strategic role in establishing global ecological security barriers. Scholars and decision-makers have expressed significant interest in rigorous assessments of the recreational resource value in national parks. This paper focuses on the Three-River-Source National Park, examining the characteristics and components of its recreational resource value through the lens of human–environment relationship theory. Analysis spans dimensions of geological and geomorphological value, ecological service value, historical and cultural value, and aesthetic landscape value. By extracting visitor comments rich in vocabulary related to their perceptions, this study compares variations in resource values and the “resource value–visitor perception” synergy within Three-River-Source National Park, employing text analysis, semantic network analysis, and coordination analysis methods. The findings reveal that (1) Visitor perceptions of recreational resource value display a clear hierarchy, with aesthetic landscape value (43.6%) ranking highest, followed by geological and geomorphological value (26.7%), historical and cultural value (19.3%), and ecological service value (10.4%), showing significant variation among categories; the vocabulary across these value types exhibits a pronounced long-tail distribution. (2) The recreational resource value in the park forms a distinct core centered on prominent attractions, accompanied by patterns of vocabulary aggregation and dispersion. (3) Visitors demonstrate strong synergy in their perception of geological and aesthetic value, weaker perception regarding historical and cultural value, and a relatively narrow understanding of ecological service value. This research enhances public comprehension of the recreational resource value of national parks and provides a scientific foundation for the conservation and sustainable use of recreational resources in national parks, advancing the realization of their recreational functions.

LandVol. 13(11)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Xiamen University of Technology (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 7%
Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research
3.40
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