Tourism and National Parks: Wilderness and Culture

This was a requested chapter by the editors of this companion set of works. The chapter presents a synopsis of the development of national parks and their appeal to tourism, both as places to visit, but also places that national tourism organisations look to use to promote destinations, including their wider tourism product and opportunity. The chapter sets out the argument that all national parks are part of the wider cultural landscape of regions, and that they may have emerged from being viewed as wilderness landscapes they remain essentially cultural landscapes. The chapter also debates the challenge of managers of national parks to balance the mandates of first protection, but also second that they are spaces open for leisure, recreation and tourism to take place. In fact, with national parks being established in very developed and working landscapes, a third mandate has arisen one that states that any development within the park must be directed at benefiting local people and ensuring the sustainability and viability of local communities. The challenge of meeting this third mandate is explored in the chapter.