An assessment of visited landscapes using a Cultural Ecosystem Services framework

According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005), Ecosystem Services are divided into four main categories: supporting, regulating, provisioning, and cultural services. The Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) represent the physical, intellectual, and spiritual interactions with ecosystems and land/seascapes. The current work aims to strengthen the links between CES and Tourism, by presenting how the conceptualization of CES can contribute to researching landscapes. A sample of 876 questionnaire respondents in six different types of landscape revealed that the CES conceptualization could provide a useful framework for understanding visitor perceptions and experiences of landscapes. Furthermore, the study showed that CES categories are very closely interconnected and an integrated approach is recommended for all landscape planning. This knowledge is essential to place making, which incorporates elements of meaning-making and attachment, as well as place identity, continuity, and dependency.