Visitor Characteristics Influencing Climbing Uluru: An Investigation of Culturally Sensitive Tourist Behaviour

Abstract

There are many examples worldwide of cultural conflict between visitors and hosts at popular tourist destinations (Robinson & Boniface, 1999). This study investigated the culturally inappropriate behaviour of climbing Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Central Australia. In an effort to better understand the effects of culture and personal schemata on visitor behaviour, the study examined the potential for a number of antecedent variables to predict climbing behaviour. Variables representing the measurable elements of subjective culture (Betancourt & Lopez, 1997) were assessed to have the most relevance in the context of the study, and became the focus of investigations. They included visitor attitudes, beliefs, values and social norms. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) was adopted as a methodological framework to guide analysis. The study sample was selected systematically and comprised visitors to Uluiy - Kata Tjuta National Park. Data was collected in two stages. Initially, an elicitation survey was conducted to establish the behavioural outcome and social influence beliefs that visitors associated with the action of climbing Uluru. The resulting belief scales were incorporated into a main study survey. This second stage included self-administered pre-visit and post-visit questionnaires that were completed by 433 respondents. The research instruments measured climbing behaviour, climbing intention and a range of variables assumed to be determinants of climbing behaviour. These included visitor attitude towards the climb, perception of social pressure to climb (subjective norm), climbing outcome beliefs, beliefs about the influence of salient social referents, values visitors' associated with their trip, prior behaviour and prior knowledge. Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample were also measured. The compiled data was screened and statistically analysed using a number of procedures within the SPSS data analysis program including factor, regression, cluster and discriminant analyses. All of the hypothesised relationships proposed in the TRA framework were found to be significant. Visitors' climbing intention predicted actual climbing behaviour and both attitude and subjective norm contributed to the prediction of intention. Composite climbing and social influence beliefs also respectively predicted attitude and subjective norm, thereby confirming the salience of these particular beliefs in relation to climbing Ulupi. All of the visitor beliefs were summarised intO meaningfhl categories using factor analysis. Three climbing belief dimensions ('benefit beliefs,' 'fear beliefs,' 'impact beliefs') and two social influence belief dimensions ('external referents,' 'credible referents') emerged from the analysis and these factors were found to vary for different visitor segments. The greatest contrasts were evident between groups that climbed Uluru and those that did not climb. Relative to non-climbers, tourists who made the climb approached it with a positive attitude and believed that the activity would produce beneficial outcomes, would not be culturally or physically detrimental, and that people they associated with the climb, and in particular representatives of the tourism industry, were supportive of the behaviour. When composite belief dimensions were incorporated into a modified Theory of Reasoned Action model, the predictive capacity of the model was enhanced. Also, the climbing fear component was found to make no contribution to the prediction of overall climbing attitude. When visitor trip values were also added to the extended TRA model as a fourth level of predictor variables, they were found to collectively predict visitor attitudes about the benefits of climbing Uluru and social influence to climb. The value of challenge in a visitor's trip was the dominant predictor in all instances. The study concluded that visitors to Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park were heterogeneous with regard to the beliefs they held about climbing Uluru and that when all beliefs were considered together, visitor sub-groups could be meaningfblly differentiated according to their comprehensive belief profiles about the climb. Tourists were categorised into a three-level typology representing a continuum from 'consonant' through 'self-determined' to 'dissonant' visitors. The 'consonant' segment was the largest group and members were in a state of belief affirmation about climbing Uluru. They mostly climbed Ulupi and comprised younger males seeking challenge experiences. A number of implications for theory and practice were discussed. These focused on better understanding visitors at cultural tourism sites and more appropriately managing their behaviours to achieve compatible outcomes for hosts and guests. Recommendations for further research were also suggested.