97% of visitors declare that the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park has very or quite met their expectations.
A total of 272,372 people visited the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park throughout 2013 through one of the main entrances located in the Vall de Boí and Espot. This figure represents a decrease of 9.1% of people compared to the previous year. The decrease in visitors is partly due to a winter and spring with a lot of cold, snow and rain, which made access to the natural space difficult during the first half of the year; the floods of June 18 and 19, which seriously affected the park's accesses and traditional paths, and the difficult general economic situation.
Despite the difficulties in accessing the north slope of the park, the provisional accesses and the impossibility of reaching some parking areas, the number of visitors in the summer did not vary much compared to 2012. above other years, the months of November and December, which shows the deseasonalization or extension of visits to the park during the autumn.
The origin of visitors is obtained through a direct survey of all people who request personalized information at any of the park's information points, including the temporary information points inside. Regarding the origin of state visitors, the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Food and the Natural Environment of the Generalitat states that a large majority (75%) are Catalan. The rest of the visitors come from Valencia (6%), Madrid (6%) and the Basque Country (3%).
As for foreign visitors, the annual increase in the incidence of Israeli tourism continues to consolidate, accounting for 32% of the total number of foreigners arriving in the national park (and entering to request information at one of the park's reception points). In a year in which the absolute numbers of visitors in general have fallen, a small increase in Israeli visitors continues to be observed.
The country that has registered the greatest increase in absolute numbers has been Japan (166 more than in 2012), which has allowed it to advance two places (to 6th) in the table of countries. The rest of the foreigners who have come to request information at one of the park's reception points are those from France (21%), Germany (10%), the Netherlands (9%), Great Britain (5%) and Japan (4%). In total, there have been visitors from 64 different countries (one more than last year).
On the other hand, surveys conducted by the national park show that visitors have given a very positive assessment of the free services offered by the information centre and the permanent exhibition in each centre. Most visitors have been pleasantly surprised by the centre in the park in Senet and have given a very positive assessment of the exhibition in Llessui on the life of shepherds and the annual cycle. Overwhelmingly, 97% of visitors surveyed said that the park had met their expectations very much or quite well.
Source:
Ara Lleida / Lleidatur newsletter for Chus Castillo
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InfoPyrenees