Evaluation of heritage education during tourism experiences: The case of Monfragüe national park, Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark and Trujillo, Cáceres (Spain)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the existence of heritage education in the non-formal context of education. To this end, emblematic spaces were selected for culture and nature tourism in Extremadura (Spain), such as the Monfragüe National Park, the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara and Trujillo Geopark. As a methodological contribution, a questionnaire was designed that was finally completed by 604 tourists. This allowed applying weighted averages and obtaining scores in order to know if the teaching-learning processes continue to develop during leisure experiences. The main results reveal that heritage education, educational practices and interest in raising awareness and to sensitize are still poorly integrated into tourism experiences. For this reason, it is concluded that non-formal education institutions, in addition to disseminating specific knowledge, must transmit the values of heritage education to contribute to sustainable development.