Abstract
This study examined the relationship between ecotourism hiking and environmental interpretation in the Lomas de Paraíso, Lima. A quantitative approach with a non-experimental, correlational, and cross-sectional design was employed in a sample of 377 adult visitors. Data were collected using a Likert-type questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The results revealed a positive and statistically significant association between ecotourism hiking and environmental interpretation (ρ = 0.214; p < 0.001), although the magnitude of the association was low. Among its dimensions, conservation practices showed the strongest relationship with environmental interpretation (ρ = 0.242), followed by infrastructure (ρ = 0.185) and visitor experience (ρ = 0.131). It is concluded that hiking provides a favorable context for environmental interpretation; however, its educational potential depends on the integration of conservation practices, infrastructure, and interpretive strategies.
References
M. Vargas-Vargas and J. Mondejar-Jimenez, “Environmental impact and business management in rural tourism,” J. Bus. Econ. Res., vol. 26, no. 3, Nov. 2010, doi: 10.19030/jabr.v26i3.297.
J. L. Marion, “Trail sustainability: A state-of-knowledge review of trail impacts, influential factors, sustainability ratings, and planning and management guidance,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 340, Art. no. 117868, Aug. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117868.
A. B. Rodríguez Cortés and L. M. Mora González, “Aportes de la recreación a la interpretación ambiental en las áreas naturales protegidas,” Territorios, no. 44-Esp., Apr. 2021, doi: 10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/territorios/a.8958.
Z. Ma et al., “Achievements, challenges, and recommendations for waterbird conservation in China’s coastal wetlands,” Avian Res., vol. 14, Art. no. 100123, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100123.
L. Casanova and M. Recalde Pozo, “Integración de cultura y naturaleza: Diseño de un sendero interpretativo en Tunibamba, Ecuador: Integrating culture and nature: Design of an interpretive trail in Tunibamba, Ecuador,” RLCE, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 8–18, Oct. 2024, doi: 10.70625/y8dsa288.
S. M. Rasoolimanesh, S. Ramakrishna, C. M. Hall, K. Esfandiar, and S. Seyfi, “A systematic scoping review of sustainable tourism indicators in relation to the sustainable development goals,” J. Sustain. Tour., vol. 31, no. 7, pp. 1497–1517, Jul. 2023, doi: 10.1080/09669582.2020.1775621.
M. R. González Herrera, L. E. Anguiano Herrera, and J. A. Álvarez Hernández, “Cultura ambiental para el turismo sustentable mediante la interpretación ambiental: Reflexiones y experiencias prácticas,” ET, no. 197, pp. 107–133, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.61520/et.1972013.1167.
C. Xie, M. Zhao, Y. Li, T. Tang, Z. Meng, and Y. Ding, “Evaluating the effectiveness of environmental interpretation in national parks based on visitors’ spatiotemporal behavior and emotional experience: A case study of Pudacuo National Park, China,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 10, Art. no. 8027, May 2023, doi: 10.3390/su15108027.
D. M. Frías-Jamilena, M. L. Fernández-Ruano, and A. I. Polo-Peña, “Gamified environmental interpretation as a strategy for improving tourist behavior in support of sustainable tourism: The moderating role of psychological distance,” Tour. Manage., vol. 91, Art. no. 104519, Aug. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104519.
T. H. Lee, F.-H. Jan, and J.-C. Chen, “Influence analysis of interpretation services on ecotourism behavior for wildlife tourists,” J. Sustain. Tour., vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 1233–1251, May 2023, doi: 10.1080/09669582.2021.1949016.
Y. Wang, L. Zhou, H. Chen, L. Wang, and X. Wu, “Framing memorable hiking tourism experiences through embodiment: The case of Mount Huangshan, China,” J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour., vol. 45, Art. no. 100710, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jort.2023.100710.
P. Sobhani, H. Esmaeilzadeh, S. M. M. Sadeghi, M. V. Marcu, and I. D. Wolf, “Evaluating ecotourism sustainability indicators for protected areas in Tehran, Iran,” Forests, vol. 13, no. 5, Art. no. 740, May 2022, doi: 10.3390/f13050740.
M. R. Nordin and S. A. Jamal, “Hiking tourism in Malaysia: Origins, benefits and post COVID-19 transformations,” Int. J. Acad. Res. Bus. Soc. Sci., vol. 11, no. 13, pp. 88–100, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i13/8504.
G. Lukoseviciute, C. N. Henriques, L. N. Pereira, and T. Panagopoulos, “Participatory development and management of eco-cultural trails in sustainable tourism destinations,” J. Outdoor Recreat. Tour., vol. 47, Art. no. 100779, Sep. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.jort.2024.100779.
I. Paul and G. Roy, “Tourist’s engagement in eco-tourism: A review and research agenda,” J. Hosp. Tour. Manag., vol. 54, pp. 316–328, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.01.002.
Q. Zhang, H. Sun, X. Peng, and Q. Lin, “Who behaves more pro-environmental in the national parks: A comparison of the tourist and the hiker,” PLoS ONE, vol. 18, no. 6, Art. no. e0287227, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287227.
H. Sun, Q. Zhang, W. Guo, and K. Lin, “Hikers’ pro-environmental behavior in national park: Integrating theory of planned behavior and norm activation theory,” Front. For. Glob. Change, vol. 5, Art. no. 1068960, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2022.1068960.
Q. Zhang, A. Popa, H. Sun, W. Guo, and F. Meng, “Tourists’ intention of undertaking environmentally responsible behavior in national forest trails: A comparative study,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 9, Art. no. 5542, May 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14095542.
G. Moscardo and K. Hughes, “Rethinking interpretation to support sustainable tourist experiences in protected natural areas,” J. Interpret. Res., vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 76–94, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.1177/10925872231158988.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.