Sustainable tourism and large protected areas – analysis models and success criteria of a sustainable tourism management using the example of the Alps

Within the framework of a sustainable regional development, protected area tourism acquires increasing significance. This applies particularly to peripheral regions, that posess no outlook for economic development. With this background, the question of success criteria for a sustainable tourist management in protected regions was investigated. The example of Austrian nature parks demonstrates, that inadequate cooperation at local level can be an important source of failure. At the same time, a suitable financial framework for successful protected area tourism is especially important.