Considered among the fastest-growing industries in the world, tourism brings immense benefits but also creates certain challenges. Conservation of natural resources is a stringent necessity, without which the extraordinary ecosystems’ attributes that create the premises for nature-based tourism would reduce, alter, and subsequently disappear. The aim of the present review is twofold: gaining a general understanding of what nature-based tourism is and providing a systematic literature review of articles on nature-based tourism in European national and natural parks, with emphasis on their applicability. The articles included in the present review were selected based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The review accounts for research conducted between 2000 and 2021 and is divided into two sections: articles aimed at understanding tourists’ behaviour and articles that are focused on other stakeholders or have the local communities in the foreground. While many studies are aimed at understanding tourists’ behaviour as a means of improving parks’ management, participatory strategies including local communities are often indicated as beneficial. The results of this paper can facilitate future research in the field and provide valuable knowledge to policymakers and any interested parties.

The rapid growth of adventure tourism is remarked all over the world, being considered as a modern form of tourism. This study attempted to investigate the preferences of experienced visitors of Romanian national and natural parks with the main focus on understanding what motives describe the three elements that define adventure tourism: physical activity, natural environment and cultural immersion, and what is the level of satisfaction regarding the quality of facilities and services. An online survey was filled in by 137 members of adventure tourism groups, being further grouped based on their experiences. Results indicate that experienced participants better appreciated the opportunity to be engaged in physical activity and to explore the natural environment. Cultural experience was perceived as similar by both groups. The level of satisfaction about facilities and services provided by the national and natural parks and adjacent rural communities was similar among groups, except for that about the existing information panels. Future development actions should address both groups to enhance their willingness to revisit the areas and increase the attractiveness of tourism in rural areas situated in the neighborhood of parks.

Nature-based tourism is expanding rapidly, placing new pressures on fragile ecosystems and governance structures that were not designed for the intensity and diversity of today’s visitors. Despite this trend, protected areas face unique management constraints and rapid socio-environmental changes. While motivational segmentation of tourists can provide valuable information to policymakers, this subject remains understudied/under-researched. This study addresses the gap by examining the motivations, behaviours, and attitudes of visitors to Romania’s national and natural parks, using a structured survey (n = 509) and a two-step approach combining dimensionality reduction with visitor segmentation. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals distinct motivational dimensions related to visitors’ desire for immersion in nature, wildlife observation and learning, active recreation, and social–cultural engagement. Based on these dimensions, three visitor segments emerge through cluster analysis, with significantly different patterns of landscape use, expectations of recreational services, and perceptions of interpretation media. This research provides practical insights for targeted communication, zoning, and adaptive governance and proposes integrating visitor typologies with park management to support sustainable rural development. The findings highlight how a nuanced understanding of tourist segments can inform more effective policy measures that balance recreational demand with the long-term protection of natural and cultural resources, offering practical value for the sustainable development of protected areas, local communities, and other stakeholders.