**1. Introduction**

The decision-making process in tourism is complex and includes choices regarding both travel destination, services and attractions [1] (pp. 53–54). Many different, often interdependent factors influence consumers' decisions. Along with the increase in purchasing funds, the scope of consumer decisions is expanding, and psychological and social factors have a greater impact on decisions [2,3]. These factors include experience preferences, including those related to relaxation in natural areas.

The need for new experiences while traveling is becoming more and more common [1,4–7]. The fact that participation in tourism is no longer reserved for privileged social classes means that some tourists no longer want to participate in ready-made tours and take advantage of banal offers. They want to give meaning to their travels and are looking for elite forms of rest in which experience can play a distinctive role. In response to changes in tourism demand on the tourism supply side, a shift from service-oriented economy to experience economy can be seen [8]. Experiences can be the basis for creating a product regardless of the restrictions of mass tourism [9] (p. 10).

The aim of this article was to analyse the experiences gained by tourists visiting one of the most visited protected areas in Poland—the Tatra National Park (TNP). The authors focused on the following question: does the natural heritage of the national park affect visitors' unique experiences or is environmentally valuable area not important for their experiences?

It was assumed that tourists who visit TNP voluntarily post on TripAdvisor an opinion reflecting their impressions and experience about their visit [10]. What is credible to them is what has been verified in person or by other objective consumers [11]. The Authors agree with Sue Beeton, Heather E. Bowen and Carla Almeida Santos, who outlined the notion of social construction and mass media's powerful role in constructing tourism and tourist experiences. [12] (p. 34).

Richard Butler noted that contemporary volatile demand in tourism does not always mean that tourists are sophisticated, considerate, environmentally and culturally sympathetic, affluent and discerning visitors, which many destinations aspire for [13] (p. 18). The results of the current research will show whether tourists visiting one of the most crowded and at the same time, the most attractive areas in Poland, show behavior consistent with the idea of ecological awareness.

#### *1.1. Experience Preferences and Ecological Awareness*

The problem of experience gained by visitors of natural areas has been the subject of research in the field of outdoor recreation for many years. This is the so-called "experiential approach", which is one of the lines of leisure motivational research [14]. The experiential approach suggests that recreation is not only an activity (like hiking or fishing) but is a psychophysiological self-rewarding experience [15]. Four levels of demands for outdoor recreation were identified, of which level 4 refers to the higher-order benefits that can flow from satisfying experiences derived from recreation participation [16] (p. 159).

It can be argued that the desire for experiences is also an important motivation for tourist trips. Authenticity, existential authenticity, sincerity, hyperreality and simulacra are overlapping concepts often used in accounting for the tourist experience [17].

Experiences are understood as the knowledge or feeling obtained through direct impressions [18]. According to Erik Cohen [19] tourist experiences refer to a quest for strangeness while Carmen Antón et al. [20] (p. 2) emphasized that experience is something that goes beyond everyday life, becomes unforgettable and contributes to the personal enrichment of the person who experiences it. Jianyu Ma, Jun Gao and Noel Scott [21] (p. 5) stated that experiences have four attributes: subjectivity, commitment, emotions and learning. Kathleen Andereck, Kelly S. Bricker, Deborah Kerstetter and Norma Polovitz Nickerson stated that an experience is not a snapshot, but rather a complex process that involves multiple parties, evolves over time, and retains value long into the future [22] (p. 82).

Tourists still expect new information from the world. Dean MacCannel [4] stated that being a tourist entails a certain way of spending free time by collecting impressions. Chris Ryan [1] added that a greater frequency of positive experiences generates higher scores on measures of well-being and satisfaction with life, although the intensity of the experiences seems to add little to the total score. In the end, people buy total experiences that products or services provide. That is why experience management, understood as a way to remain competitive in markets where globalization and technology have turned products and services into commodities, plays a very important role [23].

A tourist is looking for new experiences and these can only be provided by what he has not seen, or at least something that is different from everyday life. People may also perceive travel as a means of escape after encountering personal troubles or failures with the gained travel experience [24,25]. Protected areas are places where tourists can experience this difference. The scenery provides a quality experience for them, often because it is different from what they have at home. In addition, the natural environment is the conduit for spiritual connection, which, in turn, provides quality tourism experiences. [26] (p. 230). National parks came into being with the more noble and inspiring purpose to protect areas of wild lands for a nation rather than for a privileged few, and at the same time, encourage access to those areas by all those who can travel there [27].

The purpose of creating areas with a high degree of protection is to preserve the ecosystem in accordance with ecological objectives. If there were no paradox that tourism destroys the object of its desire [28] (p. 868), the condition would be the ecological awareness of tourists, which takes into account not only the process of "raising awareness" but also the effects of this process. According to this definition, environmental awareness is the awareness of people's dependence on the rest of nature and the awareness of the impact that human activities have on the surrounding environment [29]. Ecotourism plays an important role because "ecotourism experiences enhance environmental knowledge, which is a key component in the transformation of environmental attitudes and the development of an environmental consciousness that could result in changed environmental behaviors" [30] (p. 146).

Improper behavior of tourists in relation to the environment cause its destruction. This occurs both through a lack of ecological awareness, as well as through the lack of implementation of ecological behavior despite knowledge of the problem. As Brendan Canavan noted [31], despite the growing environmental awareness, leisure is still a hedonistic experience for many tourists, far from being responsible. David Fennel [32] noted, however, that not all types of nature tourists are necessarily compatible with the environment. Therefore, one should firstly consider the experience preferences under which tourists come to protected areas and secondly, whether tourists' behavior is related to environmental awareness. The answer to these questions can be found by analyzing the experiences of tourists visiting natural areas.

### *1.2. Tourist Experiences in Natural Areas*

An important trend characteristic of modern tourists is "return to nature". This includes the desire for experiencing tranquility, viewing scenery, as well as keeping physically healthy surrounded by soothing nature [33–35].

Susanna Curtin and Gitte Kragh [36] argued that the experience of urbanization and detachment from the nature of modern man prompts him to experience nature and contact with animals. The authors pointed to a number of benefits resulting from human being surrounded by trees and natural landscape. These include relaxation, less anxiety, lack of anger and depression. Being in nature and admiring animal behavior provides a sense of flow [37], a peak experience [38] and a sense of connection with nature [39]. There are also reports about forest therapy that considered a therapeutic method of rapidly growing popularity [40–42]. Mike Peters, Klaus Weiermair, Phunthumadee Katawandee [5] mentioned experience of nature, peace and quiet, relaxation, seclusion, among other dimensions of the destination product.

Jennifer Hill, Susanna Curtin and Georgie Gough [43] identified a number of experiences of embodied encounters with nature. These include sensory interaction (visitors articulated an ecological gaze), affective/emotional response which was manifested in five oppositions: wonder and awe, empathy/anthropomorphism, immersion versus alienation, security versus vulnerability and calm versus excited.

Jan Packer and Roy Ballantyne [44] reviewed the understanding of the concept of nature experience. They identified ten groups of visitor experiences: physical (i.e., movement, action, physical stimulation), sensory (perceptual, aesthetic, sensory responses to surroundings), restorative (escape, relaxation, revitalization), introspective (contemplation, imagination, reflection), transformative (inspiration, capability, mastery), hedonic (excitement, enjoyment, fun), emotional (surprise, respect, joy), relational (social interactions, belonging), spiritual (transcendence, connection with sacred, communion with nature) and cognitive (intellectual, learning, novelty).

Analyzing reviews taken from TripAdvisor and using the dimensions of experiences identified by Jan Packer and Roy Ballantyne [44], Oana Stoleriua et al. [45] analysed the experiences of people visiting the Danube Delta. Analyzing reviews from TripAdvisor, Oana Stoleriua et al. [45] identified four groups of nature experiences: sensory experiences, awe and wonder or emotional experiences, cognitive (reflective) experiences and spatiotemporal experiences.

Thus, one can notice the simultaneous occurrence of the trend of seeking solace in nature and the search for experiences by modern tourists. The condition of a tourist trip fulfilling this assumption is a destination with a high degree of conservation of natural values. In Poland, these include protected areas, among which National Parks are the highest form of protection. One of the most famous and most visited national parks in Poland is the Tatra National Park [46] (p. 25).
