Protected Areas for the Purposes of Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study of Zlatny Piasatsy Nature Park (Bulgaria)

Objective: Zlatny Piasatsy nature park is located in North-Eastern Bulgaria, 17 km north from Varna. It is the smallest natural park in terms of area, but it is a valuable natural site among the vast, highly anthropogenically modified territories of the Bulgarian Black see coast. Theoretical Framework: The protected territories in Bulgaria are territories with tourist potential and for nature-based forms of tourism. These specific forms of tourism contribute to achieving sustainable development goals (SDG). Therefore, they have been a subject of scientific research in recent years. Method: By using the survey and other methods, the researchers establishes the overall recognition of the area and analyzes the visitors' opinions regarding the tourist use of the park territory. Results and Discussion: According to the results of the study, despite the existing problems, the Zlatny Piasatsy nature park has potential for the protection and management of natural processes and, in parallel, an opportunity for the development of sustainable tourism and the implementation of ecological-educational and tourist programs. Further research could combine more innovative and mixed methodologies to broaden the research interest. Research Implications: The results of this research can guide the park's tourism activities towards sustainable practices. Originality/Value: The lack of comprehensive and reliable data on tourist visits and behavior on local level, and especially in vulnerable environments, has been recognized as a problem for a long time by both academics and practitioners. In Bulgaria, this type of data is scarce and contradictory, regardless of the increased visitor flow in similar territories.