Crowding perception and satisfaction of visitors at the Lapinha Cave (Sumidouro State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Authors

  • Marina Menezes Giusti Caves are differentiated natural resources that present high tourist interest. Human activities carried out in caves must be conducted sustainably, respecting the carrying capacity of the environment and also the perception of crowd from the visitors. In this context, a research was carried out about the profile of the visitor, their degree of satisfaction and their crowd perception in the Lapinha Cave, one of the best-known show caves in Brazil. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire, applied to visitors using tablets, during the Carnival holiday (February 8-14, 2018). Even when it is a high season, the results showed high approval ratings regarding the reception, employees, guides and local hospitality. Of the interviewed visitors, 32.3% indicated that the group had more people than desired, highlighting the limit reached in the crowding perception and raising questions for the management about the size of the groups. Also, the survey showed that the local population who has no employment relationship with the Park is not directly benefiting from tourism, as most visitors are excursionists and mostly do not eat or stay overnight in the surroundings.
  • Luiz Eduardo Panisset Travassos Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais
  • Heros Augusto Santos Lobo Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5752/P.2318-2962.2019v29n59p1139

Keywords:

Capacidade de carga, qualidade no turismo, espeleoturismo, cavernas turísticas

Abstract

Caves are differentiated natural resources that present high tourist interest. Human activities carried out in caves must be conducted sustainably, respecting the carrying capacity of the environment and also the perception of crowd from the visitors. In this context, a research was carried out about the profile of the visitor, their degree of satisfaction and their crowd perception in the Lapinha Cave, one of the best-known show caves in Brazil. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire, applied to visitors using tablets, during the Carnival holiday (February 8-14, 2018). Even when it is a high season, the results showed high approval ratings regarding the reception, employees, guides and local hospitality. Of the interviewed visitors, 32.3% indicated that the group had more people than desired, highlighting the limit reached in the crowding perception and raising questions for the management about the size of the groups. Also, the survey showed that the local population who has no employment relationship with the Park is not directly benefiting from tourism, as most visitors are excursionists and mostly do not eat or stay overnight in the surroundings.

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Author Biographies

Marina Menezes Giusti, Caves are differentiated natural resources that present high tourist interest. Human activities carried out in caves must be conducted sustainably, respecting the carrying capacity of the environment and also the perception of crowd from the visitors. In this context, a research was carried out about the profile of the visitor, their degree of satisfaction and their crowd perception in the Lapinha Cave, one of the best-known show caves in Brazil. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire, applied to visitors using tablets, during the Carnival holiday (February 8-14, 2018). Even when it is a high season, the results showed high approval ratings regarding the reception, employees, guides and local hospitality. Of the interviewed visitors, 32.3% indicated that the group had more people than desired, highlighting the limit reached in the crowding perception and raising questions for the management about the size of the groups. Also, the survey showed that the local population who has no employment relationship with the Park is not directly benefiting from tourism, as most visitors are excursionists and mostly do not eat or stay overnight in the surroundings.

Bacharel em Turismo pela UFSCar

Luiz Eduardo Panisset Travassos, Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais

Doutor em Geografia pela Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC-MG)

Professor na Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC-MG)

Heros Augusto Santos Lobo, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar

Doutor em Geociências e Meio Ambiente. Bacharel em Turismo.

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Published

2019-11-05

How to Cite

Giusti, M. M. ., Travassos, L. E. P., & Lobo, H. A. S. (2019). Crowding perception and satisfaction of visitors at the Lapinha Cave (Sumidouro State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Caderno De Geografia, 29(59), 1139–1160. https://doi.org/10.5752/P.2318-2962.2019v29n59p1139

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 59 (2019): Outubro a Dezembro de 2019

Section

ARTIGOS

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