Social science as a vehicle to improve dolphin-swim tour operation compliance?

Abstract

This study investigates whether tourists can be a force to evoke compliance, via conducting social science and compliance studies simultaneously. Tourist demographics, motivation, biocentrism, knowledge and satisfaction levels were obtained from 511 questionnaires collected from dolphin-swim tourists between 2011 and 2013. Simultaneously dolphin-swim tour operator’s compliance to regulations was assessed via 282 surveys collected from 1998 to 2013. Of the 8 dolphin-swim regulations assessed, tour operators demonstrated satisfactory compliance to 2 of the regulations. Conversely, tourists were happy to comply with regulations as they don’t want to have a negative impact on the targeted species. The importance of understanding the human dimensions of dolphin tourism for the successful management of the industry is highlighted, as it enables interpretation to be developed that increases tourists education and biocentric levels. Tourists can be used as a vehicle for increasing tour operator compliance, enabling the industry to become more sustainable, whilst simultaneously encouraging economic growth.