Can ecotourism change community attitudes towards conservation?

Jackie Ziegler,Alessandro Ponzo,Joseph N King,Rick Rollins,Sally Snow,Gonzalo Araujo,Jessica Labaja,Philip Dearden

doi:10.1017/s0030605319000607

Jackie Ziegler, Alessandro Ponzo + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s0030605319000607

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Abstract

Abstract A basic tenet of ecotourism is to enhance conservation. However, few studies have assessed its effectiveness in meeting conservation goals and whether the type of tourism activity affects outcomes. This study examines whether working in ecotourism changes the perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours of local people towards the focal species and its habitat and, if so, if tourism type affects those outcomes. We interviewed 114 respondents at four whale shark Rhincodon typus tourism sites in the Philippines to compare changes in perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the wider marine environment. We found that the smaller scale tourism sites had greater social conservation outcomes than the mass or failed tourism sites, including changes in conservation ethics and perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the ocean. Furthermore, of the three active tourism sites, the smallest site, with the lowest economic returns and the highest negative impacts on whale sharks prior to tourism activities, had the largest proportion of respondents who reported a positive change in perceptions of and attitudes and behaviours towards whale sharks and the ocean. Our results suggest that tourism type, and the associated incentives, can have a significant effect on conservation outcomes and ultimately on the ecological status of an Endangered species and its habitat.

Highlights

Incentive-based conservation provides incentives to gain support for conservation (Spiteri & Nepal, )
Little research has addressed these social conservation outcomes and the factors that may influence them (Wardle et al, ). This study addresses this gap through a comparative study of four types of whale shark Rhincodon typus tourism in the Philippines
Our results suggest that participation in tourism results in significant positive changes in perceptions and behaviours of local operators, both towards the target species and the wider marine environment

Summary

Introduction

Incentive-based conservation provides incentives (e.g. employment, ecological services, compensation payments, health care, education, agroforestry, tourism development/promotion) to gain support for conservation (Spiteri & Nepal, ). Such approaches are based on the belief that benefits derived directly from natural resources will encourage conservation and sustainable use of those resources (Stronza, ). The relationship between incentive-based conservation projects and improved attitudes, awareness and behaviours is complex Economic benefits from such projects do not necessarily result in increased support for conservation (Walpole & Goodwin, ), nor do positive perceptions of conservation always lead to pro-conservation behaviours (Mintzer et al, ; Nilsson et al, ). Improving attitudes towards conservation is important in its own right and in some circumstances may be the most effective intervention for achieving conservation goals

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