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This study examined how differing levels of restoration and development within, and intensifying development adjacent to Copan Archeological Park would affect interpretive potential and the visitor experience at this World Heritage Site in Honduras. Surveys and interviews with visitors revealed that Latin Americans, North Americans, and Europeans all show a preference for a mixture of restored ruins and those being reclaimed by nature. Visitors described how this juxtaposition added to their experience. A majority of visitors indicated a strong preference for maintaining agricultural or forested lands between the park and the town of Copán Ruinas and described how the intensification of development would impact their experience. Implications for park management and interpretive planning are discussed and recommendations given. Protecting the interpretive potential of these settings will require interpreters to inform the protected area and local government planning decisions that will ultimately determine the content and quality of programmatic interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How differing levels of restoration and development within, and intensifying development next to the Copán Archaeological Park would affect the visitor experience at this World Heritage Site in Honduras has been studied. Surveys and interviews with visitors and expert observation reveal that Latin Americans, North Americans and Europeans all show a preference for a mixture of restored ruins and those being reclaimed by nature. Visitors describe how this juxtaposition adds to their experience. A majority of these visitors also indicate a strong preference for maintaining agricultural or forested lands between the Park and the town of Copán Ruins and described how the intensification of development would affect their experience. Implications for Park management and cross-boundary involvement in land use decisions at this and a similar site are discussed and recommendations given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]