Tourist traffic intensity in the Pieniny National Park

The paper presents the results of tourist traffic monitoring carried out in years 2007−2009 by SKNG UP in the Pieniny National Park. The study included a survey of 25,612 visitors and allowed to estimate the intensity of tourist traffic in the Pieniny National Park and its spatial variability, as well as to determine the main routes and the most popular marked paths within the Park. The questionnaires allowed to determine the types and preferences of the visitors to the Pieniny National Park.During 19 days of monitoring, carried out repeatedly in 2007, 2008 and 2009, surveyors standing at the selected measure points counted and surveyed the visitors for 7 hours per day (9 am − 4 pm). In July 2007, the intensity of tourist traffic in the PPN reached 1,408 people per day (60 visitors/1km2of PPN/day), 1,160 people per day (49 visitors/1km2 of PPN/day) in July 2008, and 1,477 people/day (63 visitors/1km2 of PPN/day) in July 2009. The most popular routes in the PPN included: the section between Przełęcz Szopka – Trzy Korony with 1,200, 948 and 1,238 people per day in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, the section Wymiarki – Limierczyki with 1,000, 720 and 1,071 visitors per day (2007−2009), and the section Sokolica – Przełęcz Sosnów: 500, 350, and 700 visitors per day (2007−2009). The most popular place to visit in the Pieniny National Park was Krościenko, receiving twice as many visitors as the largest tourist resort in this region – Szczawnica. Their average age was about 30 years old and approximately half of the respondents were people who hold university degree. The majority of the tourists came from Lesser Poland, Silesia, Masovian and Lodz voivodeships (the total number of over 50%). Those who were visiting the Pieniny for the fifth time or more prevailed among Lesser Poland inhabitants. Furthermore, they were also the majority of the one-day visitors to these mountains. Krościenko and Szczawnica turned out to be the most popular accommodation places chosen by 61% of the tourists. The vast majority of guests reported a three-day minimum stay and most of them gave preference to private accommodation