Visitors’ satisfaction from ecotourism in the protected area of the Indian Himalayan Region using importance–performance analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Protected areas are increasingly becoming primary focus for ecotourism. Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary situated in the Indian Himalayan Region offers its visitors key ecotourism products like enjoying Himalayan vistas, nature trekking, bird watching, photography and the homestays. Visitors to ecologically fragile destinations form crucial tourism stakeholders and require understanding of their demands and satisfaction levels to sustain a flow of visitors in the increasingly competitive tourism market. The present research assessed the importance and performance of the service and facilities attributes offered by the sanctuary in order to measure visitor satisfaction from ecotourism experience, using an importance–performance analysis. Findings indicate good performance of service providers in terms of environmental conservation, ensuring safety of visitors and maintaining view point conditions. Whereas, efforts need to be concentrated in improving user facilities, nature guiding, signage and information, food quality, and accommodation facility attributes. Chi-square analysis revealed that visitors undertaking unplanned day visit to the sanctuary were more likely to be non-satisfied, raising questions on the type of visitors arriving at the sanctuary. In order to enhance visitors’ satisfaction levels, basic facilities within the sanctuary need improvement besides developing interpretations component, such that the intrinsic nature and quality of nature-based ecotourism destination is achieved.