The Profile of Birdwatching Tourists in the Ebro Delta Natural Park: Motivations, Uses, and Visitor Preferences

Estela is a professor at INEFC Lleida, teaching in both undergraduate and master’s programs in Environmental and Forestry Sciences at the University of Lleida. She is the principal investigator of the GISEAFE subgroup at the Institute for Social and Territorial Development (INDEST) of the University of Lleida. Specialized in the management of sporting events in natural environments and in the management of public use in protected natural areas, she has coordinated, over the last 20 years, more than twenty applied research projects in Natural Parks across Catalonia and other autonomous communities, focusing on visitor flows, attendance, and tourism carrying capacity.

Víctor is a physical educator specialized in teaching, university research, and sports management. He currently works to ensure that sports management and public use of protected natural areas become more human-centered, efficient, and connected with the territory and its communities.

Vanessa holds a degree in Biology and a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, along with postdoctoral research on sport, territory, and sustainability.

The speakers will present their study, which for the first time provides a comprehensive analysis of public use in the Ebro Delta Natural Park. Through the implementation of the Optimal Visitor Monitoring System (OVMS) methodology and surveys, an annual influx of 1.39 million visits has been estimated, with a clear concentration in the Eucaliptus-Trabucador sector. The visitor profile is predominantly male, aged between 36 and 55, residing in Barcelona, with an average stay of 3.4 days. The main motivations are relaxation, enjoying nature, and spending time with family and friends. The direct economic impact on the area has been estimated at over €34.5 million annually.

The study also identifies the specific profile of birdwatchers, characterized by high levels of education and a marked interest in circular and thematic routes. The data collected have made it possible to highlight quiet areas with great potential for the development of birdwatching tourism compatible with conservation.

The study was carried out by Ecodata Natura and INEFC Lleida within the framework of the Bioresilmed Project, co-funded by the Biodiversity Foundation, with the participation of the Technical Office of SEO/BirdLife in the Ebro Delta.

With the support of Fundación Biodiversidad from the Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.