Attendance in protected areas: what questions should you ask yourself before the high season?

The tourist season is approaching, and with it the influx of visitors to national parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000 sites or regional sensitive areas. For the managers of these sites, the challenge is twofold: to welcome visitors in good conditions. while maintaining biodiversity and the integrity of fragile environments. Unanticipated attendance can have ecological, logistical and even human impacts.

Here are 5 key questions to ask yourself to approach the high season with confidence.

1. Do we really know our flows?

How many visitors did we receive last year? On which routes? What days and at what times? Having accurate data makes it possible to anticipate peak traffic, to better distribute flows in space and time, and to adapt teams and resources. Without objective counting, field impressions, as useful as they are, remain fragmented.

🔹 Tip: placing temporary sensors a few weeks before the season can detect early trends.

2. What are the critical attendance thresholds?

Not all sites have the same resilience. Some trails cope well with traffic, others are very sensitive to erosion or trampling. Define a maximum reception capacity in collaboration with ecologists, guards and residents makes it possible to act before reaching critical thresholds: habitat degradation, conflicts of use, visitor dissatisfaction.

ℹ️ Monitoring crossings makes it possible to set up alert thresholds and targeted regulatory systems (signage, temporary closure, distribution).

3. Is the reception adapted to the uses?

Saturated car parks, undersized sanitary facilities, lack of information at the entrances... These weak signals often reflect a underestimated attendance. Analyzing transit data properly makes it possible to rethink equipment: move a reception point, add a rest area, and reinforce patrols during critical time slots.

📊 More data = more ability to act without over-planning.

4. Do we have the right arguments for mobilizing resources?

Objective counting is becoming an indispensable tool for justifying:

• Additional staff (guards, mediators, seasonal workers)
• Funding (biodiversity fund, sustainable tourism)
• Planning or regulatory decisions

🔐 The numbers make the challenges legible: a rise from 100 to 400 visitors/day transforms the nature of management.

5. Is the site perceived as too busy?

The visitor experience is also a conservation issue. A saturated space becomes less attractive, and can even generate disrespectful behaviors. The perception of attendance is often delayed: some days, few visitors are enough to degrade the atmosphere of a quiet or fragile place. Measuring flows also means better understanding this perception and acting beforehand.

In conclusion

Anticipating attendance means protecting spaces as well as visitors.

Chez Kiomda, we support managers of natural areas in the implementation of counting solutions autonomous, discreet and efficient, adapted to fragile environments and without heavy infrastructure.

Do you want to prepare for the high season? ✉️ Let's talk about it.

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