Starting to enjoy nature in Mediterranean mountains: Crowding perception and satisfaction

The aim of the present study was to identify the profile and motivations of users of public facilities in Sierra de las Nieves, a protected area ('natural park') in the Spanish Mediterranean mountains, and their influence on perceptions of crowding and satisfaction. A self-reported questionnaire, including socio-demographic questions and a scale measuring perception of crowding, type of motivation, frequency of visits, and satisfaction, was administered to 345 visitors. Four profiles of visitors were identified: social, sport, learning, and nature visitors. Results showed that sport and nature visitors perceived more crowding than learning visitors. Type of motivation, and the interactions, age × type of motivation and employment-status × type of motivation, explained a significant amount of variance of perceived crowding. Interaction analysis showed that both age and employment status moderated the relationship between type of motivation and perception of crowding. We suggest implications for park planning and management.