Tourism and Recreation: The Future of National Parks: A Blue Mountains Case Study

Abstract

For several years, natural environments have developed as a major resource of the tourism industry. In New South Wales, visitor numbers to national parks have increased substantially and are expected to continue to rise over the next 10 years. With this being the case, it is important to explore the future of national parks and the future of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service based on the growing popularity of these natural areas among the general public. Four themes were identified from the literature as potential factors that could significantly influence the future of national parks in New South Wales. These four factors were: • Tourism and recreation, • Government funding, • Private sector investments, and • Zoning. Each of these four themes, and their relationship with national parks, was examined through a combination of literature research and stakeholder interviews.