Destination-specific analysis of tourist satisfaction and its determinants in major national parks of Japan

Enhancing tourist satisfaction is the key to sustainable tourism in protected areas. However, tourist satisfaction may be influenced by various factors, including the specific destinations visited inside protected areas. Here, we conducted a destination-specific analysis of major national parks in Japan using an online questionnaire to examine the factors determining tourist satisfaction. Participants were asked questions regarding their gender and age, accessibility to the park, awareness about the national park, specific destinations visited within the park, and motivations for visiting. Responses from 1,175 participants were included in the final analysis. We found that tourist satisfaction generally increased with the distance from tourists’ residential areas to destinations. Additionally, tourists who were aware that the destination was situated within a designated national park reported a higher level of satisfaction. Increasing the awareness regarding national parks and the associated knowledge input from visual, verbal, and sensory stimuli can thus increase tourist satisfaction and improve economic circulation in rural areas through increased tourism from outside the region. We also demonstrated that the effect of protection level on tourist satisfaction varies according to the destination group with different motivations for visiting. Our study underscores the importance of tailoring management strategies to address the unique requirements of different destinations within a park, thereby facilitating tourist satisfaction and experience.