Perceptions of tourists of the resources, ecological service functions and recreation value of the Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area

This study surveyed visitor perceptions of the resources of the Guanwu National Forest Recreation Area (GNFRA) in Taiwan’, their perceptions toward the ecosystem service functions of the GNFRA, their expectations and opinions on its management, and their recreational activities. Independent sample t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the influences of the backgrounds of respondents on their perceptions toward the ecosystem service functions of the GNFRA. The importance-performance analysis (IPA) method was used to explore evaluations by tourists on the management of the GNRFA. Finally, a global positioning system (GPS) was used to process records of recreational activities by tourists within the GNFRA to understand the movement of tourists during their recreational activities within the GNRFA. The results showed that visitors to the GNRFA regarded its recreational resources to be valuable and that they had a high willingness to revisit. The visitors also showed a certain understanding of the ecosystem services provided by the forest ecosystem. There were significant differences in perceptions of ecosystem services among visitors of different backgrounds. In addition, the results of IPA showed the “importance” of perceptions and “performance” within the opinions of tourists on the management of the forest recreation area. The records of recreational activities by tourists showed that they experienced the most benefits when experiencing picturesque scenery along walking trails. The results of this study can contribute to future management of the GNRFA.