Overview of the study sample.

Tourist impact management in ecotourism destinations requires an accurate description of tourists’ spatiotemporal behavior patterns and recreation preferences to minimize the ecological environmental impact and maximize the recreation experience. This study classified tourist behaviors into five typical behavior patterns based on the digital footprints of tourists visiting Ziwuyu of the Qinling Mountains, including 348 traveling tracks and 750 corresponding geotagged photographs: short-distance, traversing, reentrant, large loop, and small loop. Furthermore, each behavior pattern’s recreation preference was identified using photograph analysis. Tourists with large-loop and reentrant behavior patterns have 89.8% and 30% chances of visiting Jianshanding, respectively. Key protected areas are faced with the risk of ecological environmental damage. Based on the behavior pattern differentiation and preference of tourists, this paper provides a decision-making basis for the classified management and guidance of tourists in ecotourism destinations. It has reference value for the management of similar ecotourism destinations.

生态旅游目的地的游客影响管理，亟需精准刻画游客的时空行为模式与游憩偏好，以实现生态环境影响最小化与游憩体验最大化。本研究基于到访秦岭紫峪谷（Ziwuyu）游客的数字足迹（digital footprints）——包含348条旅行轨迹与750张对应带地理标签照片（geotagged photograph）——将游客行为划分为5种典型模式：短距离型、穿行型、折返型、大环型与小环型。此外，本研究通过照片分析识别了各行为模式对应的游憩偏好。其中，采取大环型与折返型行为模式的游客到访箭竿顶（Jianshanding）的概率分别为89.8%与30%，致使重点保护区域面临生态环境破坏风险。基于游客的行为模式差异与偏好特征，本研究可为生态旅游目的地的游客分类管理与引导提供决策依据，对同类生态旅游目的地的管理亦具有参考价值。