Mid Sweden University

This study explores protected areas as attractions and their influence on tourists’ behavior. The importance of differing protection status (national parks, world heritage sites, and biosphere reserves) is discussed. Data come from surveys conducted in protected areas in the Swedish mountain region. The results show that protection status matters to tourists, and it affects the decision to visit the area, but to a variable degree among the study sites. It is concluded that different protected area labels function as touristic markers but that the name national park has a stronger effect on tourists than the labels of world heritage site and biosphere reserve.