慶良間諸島国立公園における若年スクーバダイビング邦人客の国立公園に関する認識調査

抄録

A return to the previous number of domestic travelers is expected to be the first step in rebooting the tourism industry after calming the pandemic, and strategies to encourage young people who previously had travel interests to resume travelling is an important factor. Although designated national parks (NPs) are considered one of the tourism resources, poor recognition of NPs is reported, and it is unclear whether NPs can be an important factor in boosting tourism. Outdoor sports activities (OS) utilizing nature are also considered one of the tourism resources. If tourists become familiar with the NP system as a result of such sporting experiences in NPs, the NP sites may have an added value in their choice of travel destinations and may lead to the possibility of their visiting other NPs. Therefore, this study investigated recognition of NPs among participants of OS utilizing the region’s nature in NPs. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the Kerama-Shoto National Park among 36 young tourists whose main purpose was to participate in scuba diving and who were unaware of any previous visits to NPs. The results of the survey showed that their impressions of the NP system became positive and that most of them would like to visit other NPs, and had the intention of participating in other OS when they visit there. These results suggest that the advertising of OS which can be experienced in NP sites has the potential to promote domestic travel among young tourists, and participation in OS in these sites can lead to interest in other NPs as well as other OS. These will not only lead to strategies to boost domestic tourism, but also to the development of the related sports industry and the promotion of health through sporting activities.