Tourist traffic monitoring in the Pieniny National Park (result of tourist traffic monitoring carried out in the years 2007-2009 by SKNG UP)

The paper presents the results of tourist traffic monitoring carried out in the years 2007–2009 by SKNG UP in the Pieniny National Park. The study included a survey of 25612 visitor sand allowed estimating the intensity and spatial variability of tourist traffic in the Pieniny National Park, as well as determining the main routes and the most popular marked paths within the Park. The questionnaires helped 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 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 1408 persons per day (60 visitors/1km2 of PPN/day), it was 1160 persons per day (49 visitors/1km2 of PPN/day) in July 2008, and 1477 persons/day (63 visitors/1km2 of PPN/day) in July 2009. The most popular routes in the PPN include: the section between Przełęcz Szopka–Trzy Korony with 1200, 948 and 1238 persons per day in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively; the section Wymiarki–Limierczyki with 1000, 720 and 1071 visitors per day (2007, 2008,2009, respectively), and the section Sokolica–Przełęcz Sosnów: 500, 350, and 700 visitors perday (2007, 2008, 2009, respectively). 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 and approximately half of the respondents were people who hold a university degree. The majority of the tourists came from Lesser Poland, Silesia, Masovian and Lodz voivodeships (total number of over 50%). Those who were visiting the Pieniny for the fifth time or more often prevailed among Lesser Poland inhabitants, furthermore they were also the major part 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. Vast majority of the guests reported a three-day minimum stay and most of them gave preference to private accommodation