Changes in visitor behaviour in Canadian National Parks due to Covid-19

Focusing on visitor spatial location and the distance between park facilities and visitors

Datos Bibliográficos

ID19587397
AutoresHuaiyi Wang, Huiji Wang (0009-0007-8468-222X, Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information), Xiangfei Lü (Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information), Yaquan Dou (0000-0001-9067-3599, Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information), Xuanqin Yang (Southwest Forestry University), Xiaodi Zhao (0000-0003-0625-2412, University of British Columbia, autor de correspondencia)
Año2025
Volumen21
Páginas100966
Fecha de publicación2025-09-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaTrees Forests and People (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2666-7193 • E-ISSN: 2666-7193
EditorialElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.tfp.2025.100966
OpenAlexW4412763761
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas29

COVID-19 significantly reduced visitor numbers in Canadian National Parks. • Visitor spatial distribution shifted toward remote, less-populated park areas. • Distance to natural features outweighed proximity to hotels post-COVID-19. • Flickr geotagged data revealed long-term shifts in visitor behaviour. • Policy should support diversified tourism products adapted to new preferences. COVID-19 has significantly altered visitor behaviour in Canadian National Parks (NPs), which are largely composed of forested landscapes that support vital human–nature interactions. To investigate these changes, this study selected six NPs and examined shifts in spatial visitation patterns and their relationship with proximity to park facilities before and during the pandemic. Based on 48,041 geotagged Flickr photos from 2018 to 2023, we employed the Seasonal Concentration Index (SCI), Geographic Concentration Index (GCI), Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), and the Optimal Parameter-based Geographic Detector (OPGD). Temporally, all six NPs experienced a pronounced drop in visitor numbers in 2020–2021, with only partial recovery by 2023. Spatially, visitor distribution remained highly uneven, with hotspots clustered around Banff, Jasper, and Lake Louise. However, a gradual dispersion of visitor flow toward less-developed and lower-density areas was observed in recent years. Importantly, COVID-19 shifted visitors’ spatial preferences: proximity to natural features such as rivers became more influential than the traditional pull of accommodations and services. These findings suggest a pandemic-induced reconfiguration of tourism behaviour, favouring more dispersed and nature-oriented experiences, though not necessarily closer to forest interiors. The study underscores the need for adaptive tourism planning that aligns with changing recreational demands and the ecological character of NPs

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Archaeology · Environmental resource management · Geography · National park · Visitor pattern · Computer Science · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Environmental Science · Medicine · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management · Urban Green Space and Health · Virology