Explaining demographic-destination preferences for cultural ecosystem services: A set-theoretic configurational...

Area of Science:

• Ecosystem services research
• Environmental psychology
• Urban planning

Background:

• Traditional studies on cultural ecosystem services (CES) and destination preferences prioritize individual attribute importance.
• A configurational perspective, considering ecological and environmental attributes together, is crucial for understanding visitor choices.
• Existing research often overlooks the complex interplay of attributes influencing CES destination selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a configurational model explaining causal patterns of CES quality and availability influencing demographic-CES destination preferences.
• To analyze how different demographic groups (age, gender) consider destination attributes when choosing CES.
• To provide insights for improving CES management strategies based on user preferences.

Main Methods:

• Application of complexity theory and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA).
• Study of 22 urban green spaces in Nagoya, Japan.
• Development of a configurational model to link demographic factors with CES destination preferences.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct preference modes based on demographics: young adults/males prioritized transportation time, while older people/females considered both CES quality and availability.
• Demonstrated that demographic-destination preferences for CES are influenced by a combination of attribute configurations.
• Highlighted the importance of a configurational approach over single-attribute analysis.

Conclusions:

• Visitor preferences for CES destinations are shaped by the configuration of ecological and environmental attributes, not just individual factors.
• Understanding these demographic-specific configurational preferences is key for effective CES management.
• CES organizations can leverage these findings to develop multi-factor cooperative management strategies for enhanced CES provision.