FOLIA GEOGRAPHICA

Menu

Folia Geographica 2017, 59/1, pp. 82-97

PODMIENKY ROZVOJA WILDLIFE WATCHING TURIZMU NA SLOVENSKU

CONDITIONS FOR WILDLIFE WATCHING TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAKIA

Current Status of Wildlife Areas Offer

Natália KOŠČOVÁ A*, Mária KOŠČOVÁ B

Received: December 4, 2016 | Revised: December 18, 2016 | Accepted: March 12, 2017
Paper No. 17-59/1-503

A* University of Prešov, 17. novembra 1, 08001 Prešov, Slovakia
natalia.kosco@gmail.com (corresponding author)

B Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia
maria.kosco@gmail.com


PDF
FULL TEXT ►


Abstract
This article is focused on wildlife watching tourism that is associated with the observation of living nature and its components – flora and fauna. In the world, it records high growth, and the offer of wildlife products and destinations is increasing. This type of tourism represents just a small part in the tourism offer in Slovakia, but in terms of natural conditions for its development, it has very good assumptions. Therefore, the development of tourism can contribute to the attractiveness of the Slovak tourism offer, as well as regional development. It describes the current offer of wildlife locations in Slovakia that are offered by Slovak and foreign travel agencies and tour operators. The locations are evaluated in terms of geographic location, observed kinds of fauna and flora, and the offer of tour operators‘ products.

Key words
Wildlife tourism, wildlife holiday, wildlife watching, birdwatching

SUMMARY

CONDITIONS FOR WILDLIFE WATCHING TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAKIA

Wildlife tourism is tourism based on the observation of nature, fauna, and flora. For this type of tourism, the term “nature tourism” or, in the strict sense, “wildlife watching tourism” is also used. Wildlife tourism records strong growth in the world. Exploring and observing nature may be the main objective of a holiday or it may be one of the popular optional excursions during summer vacations. Interest in wildlife watching with a professional guide is increasing. With the significant growth of wildlife tourism in the world, the number of travel agencies offering a wide range of wildlife products is growing too. Wildlife tourism in Slovakia is a relatively new form of tourism that represents only a small part of the range of tourism products. The most advanced form of wildlife tourism is birdwatching. Conditions for the development of this kind of tourism are very good in Slovakia. Slovakia has huge potential for the development of wildlife tourism in terms of natural conditions – the existence of areas of unspoiled nature, high biodiversity, diverse habitats, and the occurrence of significant European species of fauna and flora. Suitable and target locations are areas of high zoological and botanical value, protected areas, Sites of Community Importance, and important floodplains of the Ramsar sites. The largest number of sites in the current tourist offer are in eastern Slovakia. In addition to the district – Senne and Medzibodrožie, Tatras, Slovak Paradise, Slovak Karst, Poloniny, Eastern Carpathians, Vihorlat, Slanské hills, and Volovské hills. Locations that are offered – Senné Ponds and Medzibodrožie, High Tatras, Slovak Paradise, Slovak Karst, Poloniny, Eastern Carpathians, Vihorlatské mountains, Slanské mountains, and Volovské mountains. In central Slovakia, there are offered – Veľká Fatra Mountains, Malá Fatra Mountains, Muránska planina plateau, Upper Orava, Choč Mountains, and Liptov. Locations in Western Slovakia – the Small Carpathian Mountains, White Carpathians, Danube floodplains, Strážovské Mountains, Záhorie, Bratislava, and surroundings. Despite a wider range of sites, the number of offered products is low. On the Slovak market, there are only a few organizations that offer wildlife tourism products. The widest range of locations has a travel agency specialized in the observation of nature Watching.sk and the ecotourism organization Ekovýlety. Wildlife products also have organizations involved in eco-tourism and nature conservation, for example, Carpatica, Slovak Wildlife Society, and Liptov Active. These offer only a few localities, mainly – High Tatras and Slovak Karst. They are focused mostly on foreign clients. In recent years, the interest of foreign tourists in wildlife watching in Slovakia is increasing. Slovakia as a wildlife destination or “wildlife holiday” is most often provided by travel agencies in the UK. Slovakia is also included in the offers of the Czech Republic and the USA. The most visited sites are the High Tatras, Slovak Karst, and wetlands of the Východoslovenská nížina lowland. From the observed species, the most common are birds – eagles, falcons, woodpeckers, owls, bats – and from carnivores – brown bear, Eurasian lynx, and grey wolf.

REFERENCES

  1. ADVENTOURA. (n.d.). *Pozorovanie prírody* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  2. ARNIKA TRAVEL. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  3. AYGO SLOVAKIA. (n.d.). *Bear watching in Tatras, The Carpathian Mountains* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  4. BABY BEAR COTTAGE. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  5. CARPATICA. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  6. ECOTOURS WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  7. EKOVÝLETY. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  8. HIGGINBOTTOM, K., et al. (2004). *Wildlife tourism: impacts, management and planning*. Australia: Common Ground Publishing, 301 p.
  9. KOŠČOVÁ, M., KOŠČOVÁ, N., TKÁČOVÁ, R. (2015). “Wildlife turizmus – prieskum trhu, klientskych preferencií a poznatkov zo zahraničia pre zatraktívnenie ponuky slovenského cestovného ruchu”. In: *Vysokoškolská edukácia pre potreby súčasného kreatívneho podnikateľského prostredia: zborník recenzovaných vedeckých prác s medzinárodnou účasťou*. Košice: Technická univerzita, 134–144. ISBN 978-80-553-2221-6.
  10. KOŠČOVÁ, N. (2014). *Wildlife turizmus – nová forma turizmu na Slovensku*. Fakulta baníctva, ekológie, riadenia a geotechnológií, Technická univerzita v Košiciach, 78 p.
  11. KOŠČOVÁ, N., KOŠČOVÁ, M. (2013). “Súčasný stav a možnosti rozvoja wildlife turizmu na Slovensku”. In: *Acta Universitatis Prešoviensis, Prírodné vedy, Folia Oecologica*, 10, roč. LVII, 75–92.
  12. LIMOSA HOLIDAYS. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  13. LIPTOV ACTIVE. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  14. MATLOVIČOVÁ, K., KLAMÁR, R., MIKA, M. (2015). *Turistika a jej formy*. Prešov: Fakulta humanitných a prírodných vied, Prešovská univerzita, 550 p. ISBN 978-80-555-1530-4.
  15. MŽP (2014). *Správa o stave životného prostredia Slovenskej republiky v roku 2014*. Bratislava: Ministerstvo životného prostredia.
  16. NATURETREK. (n.d.). *Wildlife holidays in Slovakia* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  17. PRALESY.SK. (n.d.). *Biodiverzita pralesov* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 15.11.2016.
  18. RESPONSIBLETRAVEL.COM. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 15.11.2016.
  19. ROE, D., LEADER-WILLIAMS, N., DALAL-CLAYTON, B. (1997). *Take only photographs, leave only footprints: The environmental impacts of wildlife tourism*. London: International Institute for Environment and Development, 86 p.
  20. SHACKLEY, M. (1996). *Wildlife tourism*. London, United Kingdom: International Thomson Business Press, 153 p.
  21. SILVANO, D.R. (2015). “Can tourism promote sustainable development and protect global wildlife?” [online]. Available at: . Cited: 15.11.2016.
  22. SLOVAK WILDLIFE SOCIETY. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016. SPRÁVA TANAPU. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  23. TAPPER, R. (2006). *Wildlife watching and tourism. A study on the benefits and risks of a fast growing tourism activity and its impacts on species*. Bonn, Germany: UNEP/CMS, 68 p.
  24. THE TRAVELLING NATURALIST. (n.d.). *Spring Birding in Slovakia* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  25. WALKS WORLDWIDE. (n.d.). *Your choices in Slovakia* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.
  26. WATCHING.SK. (n.d.) [online]. Available at: . Cited: 5.11.2016.
  27. WILDLIFE EXTRA. (n.d.). *Bear watching in the High Tatras mountains of Slovakia* [online]. Available at: . Cited: 10.11.2016.