Ecotourism

Measuring Geotourism: Developing and Testing the Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS)

by B. Bynum Boley

Journal of Travel Research

Boley, B., Nickerson, N. and Bosak, K. (2011). Measuring Geotourism: The Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS). Journal of Travel Research. 50(5): 567-578.

Geotourism is tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place, including its environment,... more Geotourism is tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place, including its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a scale measuring geotraveler tendencies (GTS). The GTS consists of 35 items across eight subscales measuring both attitudes and behaviors of travelers. Confirmatory factor analysis tested each scale for construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and nomological validity, and demonstrated that all eight scales of the GTS were valid and reliable measures of the dimensions of geotourism. Standardized factor loadings ranged from .52 to .92 and construct reliability scores ranged from .72 to .94 for the eight attitudinal and behavioral scales. For destinations interested in promoting geotourism, the GTS provides a tool to determine if visitors traveling to their area embrace geotourism values of sustaining and enhancing the geographical character of place.

Profiling geotravelers: An a priori segmentation identifying and defining sustainable travelers using the Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS)

by B. Bynum Boley

Journal of Sustainable Tourism

Boley, B. and Nickerson, N. (In Press). Profiling geotravelers: An a priori segmentation identifying and defining sustainable travelers using the Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS). Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

This study expands research on geotourism by using the Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS) to profile geotravelers. The... more This study expands research on geotourism by using the Geotraveler Tendency Scale (GTS) to profile geotravelers. The results demonstrate the GTS’s ability to effectively identify different levels of geotravelers. An a priori segmentation was conducted using the respondents’ overall geotraveler score from the GTS as the segmenting criterion. The resulting three segments were labeled ‘minimal geotravelers,’ ‘moderate geotravelers,’ and ‘strong geotravelers’. MANOVA and Pearson Chi-square analysis showed significant differences between the three groups on all items within the GTS as well as significant differences between the segments on the variables of gender, income, country of origin, and likelihood to visit national parks. This study 1) Confirms the usefulness of the GTS for identifying and segmenting travelers, and 2) Provides the sustainable tourism field with a more holistic tool for measuring sustainable travelers. Destination managers interested in marketing to geotravelers can use this tool to identify how many geotravelers come to their area, their level of geotraveler tendencies, and what the destination can focus on to attract more of this travel segment. Geotourism is positioned as a sustainable marketing strategy that attracts conscientious visitors whose impacts help promote the ‘character of place’ rather than detract from it.

Ecotourism Options In Coastal Protected Area Management: a Case Study of North Head Quarantine Station, Australia

by Simon Darcy

Wearing, S., & Darcy, S. (1999). Ecotourism Options In Coastal Protected Area Management:  A Case Study Of North Head Quarantine Station. The Environmentalist, 18(4), 239-250.

The challenges faced by coastal protected areas in both promoting highly attractive sites and preserving the natural... more The challenges faced by coastal protected areas in both promoting highly attractive sites and preserving the natural attributes of these sites have been given a new dimension with the opportunities presented by ecotourism. Realising the market potential of a protected area and, at the same time, conserving the unique features of an area is a difficult task. This paper explores the possibilities that backpacker tourism may offer the Quarantine Station in Sydney Harbour National Park, in Australia. The Quarantine Station is a significant cultural heritage site that is located in a sensitive coastal national park within Sydney's metropolitan area.

Community perspectives on bioeconomic development: eco-cultural tourism in Hartley Bay, British Columbia

by Kate Turner

MNRM Thesis

Members of the Gitga’at First Nation are committed to supporting the ecological integrity of their territory, as well... more Members of the Gitga’at First Nation are committed to supporting the ecological integrity of their territory, as well as the vitality of their community and way of life, through carefully selected and implemented local development initiatives. This case study focuses on community member perspectives on ecologically supported cultural tourism. The first objective was to describe aspects of the local context shaping perspectives on tourism development. The second objective was to synthesize perspectives on the appropriate use of resources and on the appropriate application and sharing of local and elders’ knowledge for tourism. The third objective sought to identify services and linkages with other institutions considered important for a business aligned with local development priorities. There is potential for eco-cultural tourism to support local needs and interests if its development is directed and controlled by the Gitga’at and is based on a process of deliberation within the community.

The Intratourist Gaze: Grey Nomads and 'Other Tourists'

by Donell Holloway

New tourisms and cultural processes in local development

by Rita Salvatore

WP 4 - This paper set outs some of the thinking developed during a national sociological research project (PRIN 2004)... more WP 4 - This paper set outs some of the thinking developed during a national sociological research project (PRIN 2004) coordinated by the University of Teramo about “Innovations in the development local systems of the Third Italy”. In particular, it refers to the role local productions can play in the configuration of new patterns of development based on the tourist valorisation of territorial resources. The idea these processes might lead towards the shaping of some “Districts of Taste” has been hypothesized. A typical mark within contemporary consumption experiences is that people have begun to look for what can be perceived both as unique and authentic. By choosing to consume a typical product instead of a standardized one, they can express a “taste choice”, able to perform a distance from mass culture products, often considered as anonymous, tasteless (even kitsch), and meaningless in terms of intellectual interest.
WP 5 - Within national parks’ latest regulatory innovations and thanks to the opportunities offered by eco–tourism, anthropic component is gaining a new pivotal role. In fact, whilst in the past men were considered as being guilty for destroying environment, now they are becoming themselves a resource to be enhanced. This kind of process is at the core of the configuration of more sustainable patterns of development, aiming to be considered as the more appropriate instrument for the revitalization of those areas (especially the mountain ones) which were reduced to marginalization both on a demographic and a social level, because of emigration flows towards big cities. A case study conducted in the National Park of Gran Sasso and Laga Mountains has offered to the researcher the opportunity to focus on the opportunities as well as on the critical situations that such a pattern can outline with regard to local communities.

A comparative study of local perceptions of ecotourism and conservation at Five Blues Lake National Park, Belize

by Patrick Holladay

CREATING ECO-TOURISM PRODUCT

by Jordan Kocevski

Tatjana Dimoska, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Jordan Kocevski, Master of Science, Assistant
for full paper contact me on my e-mail: jokoc@yahoo.com or pm me

Since it first appearance in the early 80’s, the eco-tourism has attracted many tourists to its cause. Even more, it... more Since it first appearance in the early 80’s, the eco-tourism has attracted many tourists to its cause. Even more, it has become one of the major industries of the national economy and a significant portion of the Gross Domestic Product in some countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya etc. Eco-tourism is an extraordinary tool for conservation, a support mechanism for poverty alleviation, and as a driver of sustainable development if carefully conceived, well managed and strictly controlled. But the creation of eco-touristic product is a delicate job, it has to be done carefully. The environment that will be touristic valorized has to stay untouched, in the sense of not losing any of its main characteristic and appearance. That is a hard job, since the valorization may include creating some paths, putting signs, building different buildings and so on. Therefore the eco-touristic product, weather it includes a destination or a hotel, has to fulfill some prerequisites. It has to perfectly “fit in” the environment. Also it is very important that if this prerequisites are fulfilled to be maintained further. The creating of the eco-touristic product has to consider many issues and go through a procedure of few stages. That’s why many scientists have arguments “for” and “against” turning a protected area or environment into a tourist attraction. Even if the eco-touristic product is done according the stages and it doesn’t change the environment, there is still the issue of the visitors and their influence on the area. These and some other issues will be part of this paper.
Key words: eco-tourism, eco-tourism product, creating

Managing the other of nature: sustainability, spectacle, and global regimes of capital in ecotourism

by Joe Bandy

Public Culture. 8(3):539-66. 1996.

Negative Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife

by Ronda Green

Reviews mechanisms by which wildlife tourism can have negative effects on wildlife and the management practices that can be used to mitigate these effects with a focus on practices relevant to Australia.

Wildlife tourism is often considered environmentally friendly, but it has the potential to cause various negative... more Wildlife tourism is often considered environmentally friendly, but it has the potential to cause various negative effects on populations, behaviour and welfare of wildlife. A search of local and international literature, coupled with interviews with personnel from government conservation agencies, identified many potential and actual problems. These effects can be grouped into: disruption of activity, direct killing or injury, and habitat alteration (including provision of food). The magnitude and seriousness of negative effects can vary enormously depending on species, life-cycle stages, habitats and other variables. Management processes that identify potential and actual negative effects and implement actions to correct them are critical to sustainable wildlife tourism, particularly if there is further growth of this sector. Management actions designed to mitigate negative effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife typically focus on management of visitors, and can use a variety of different methods. Monitoring of wildlife that could be affected by wildlife tourism activities is particularly critical to sustainability, and should incorporate well- established statistical principles where possible. However there is a need for a user-friendly guide to wildlife monitoring for Australian conditions and specifically relating to the tourism industry. Some species and situations may need to be precluded from wildlife tourism altogether. Overall, there is a need for more comprehensive and better funded management and monitoring of the effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife if we are to assure its long-term sustainability.

The Effects of Non-Consumptive Wildlife Tourism on Free-Ranging Wildlife

by Ronda Green

Positive Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife

by Ronda Green

A Framework for Managing the Negative Impacts of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife

by Ronda Green

Evaluation of Ecotourism: A Comparative Assessment in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Nepal

by Gyan Nyaupane

Nyaupane, G. P., and Thapa, B. (2004). Journal of Ecotourism, 3(1), 20-45

Abstract:
Ecotourism has become an alternative approach for overcoming the problems of traditional tourism with... more Abstract:
Ecotourism has become an alternative approach for overcoming the problems of traditional tourism with the assumption that there will be minimum negative impacts and maximum benefits for the local people and their environment. This study offers a comparative evaluation of the perceptions of environmental, economic and socio-cultural impacts between residents of a traditional tourism area and a recently created ecotourism area, both located within the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Nepal. Data were collected on-site among local residents in both areas. Overall, this study concluded that residents of the ecotourism area perceived fewer negative and positive impacts (environmental, economic, socio-cultural) as a result of tourism than the residents of the traditional tourism area.

kem.mak

by Erdal Akpınar

kem.mak

by Erdal Akpınar

Nature Conservation and Ecotourism In Brazilian Amazonia

by Brian Kermath

Kermath, Brian M. 1991. "Nature Conservation and Ecotourism in Brazilian Amazonia." Pp. 401-409 in J.A. Kusler (ed.), Ecotourism and Resource Conservation. Association of Wetland Managers, Bern, NY. [From: 2nd International Symposium : Ecotourism and Resource Conservation, November 27-December 2, 1990, Miami Beach.]

Television, Ecotourism, and the Videocamera: Performative Non-Fiction and Auto-Cinematography

by Adam Fish

In two first-person cinematographer ecotourist programs, Survivorman (Science/Discovery) and Caught in the Moment... more In two first-person cinematographer ecotourist programs, Survivorman (Science/Discovery) and Caught in the Moment (Animal Planet), the difficulties and joys of being a small camera crew are as important as what the cameras record. Camera-crews-as-characters, cameras-as-props, the filming of tourists filming themselves–does this technological reflexivity ad nauseam signify industrial solipsism, a mise en abyme, the foregrounding of the background, or just an audience interested in television production?

Planning for Sustainable Nature Dependent Tourism Development: The Limits of Acceptable Change System

by Steve McCool

Published in Tourism Recreation Research in 1994.

Community-Based Ecotourism in the Panama Canal Watershed, USAID/Panama and the Panama National Environmental Commission, Panama City, Panama, May 1998.

by Tara Waters Lumpkin