Exploring factors influencing the attitude of ski tourers towards the ski touring management measures of the Gesäuse National Park

This study investigated factors influencing the attitude of on-site ski tourers towards the ski touring management measures recently implemented by the Gesäuse National Park for two ski tours in the Johnsbach Valley in order to protect capercaillie and black grouse. Most of the respondents (n = 550) were long-standing regular day visitors frequently visiting the Johnsbach valley for ski touring. The majority of them were not aware of ski touring management measures. Two thirds of those who knew about it saw it as a useful concept. The regression analysis identified attitudes towards environmental impacts of ski touring, motives for ski touring, area dependence, perceived constraints to the individual’s recreational activities and past experience as factors explaining the attitude towards the concept. From our findings we derived implications for the management of protected areas.