Principles for including conservation messaging in wildlife-based tourism
Fernández-Llamazares, Álvaro (University of Helsinki. Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science)
Fraixedas Núñez, Sara (University of Helsinki. Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science)
Brias-Guinart, Aina (University of Helsinki. Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science)
Terraube, Julien (University of Helsinki. Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science)

Date:	2020
Abstract:	There is growing evidence that wildlife-based tourism can be a valuable pathway to transform the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of tourists, if complemented by effective conservation messaging and proactive interpretive experiences. Yet, such conservation messaging is not always a priority for many wildlife-based tourism operators, who often avoid exposing happy tourists to the daunting biodiversity crisis. In this paper, we argue that failing to encourage tourists to do more on behalf of wildlife represents a missed opportunity for conservation. Based on a comprehensive review of the academic literature, we show that conservation messaging is virtually absent from many mainstream wildlife-based tourism operations, often failing to connect global audiences to conservation issues. We found that the scholarly literature on the effectiveness of different techniques, approaches and contents of conservation messaging in wildlife-based tourism is meagre at best. Yet, alternative forms of communicating conservation-related messages are opening new avenues to broaden the conservation potential of wildlife-based tourism. We suggest a set of principles for improving the implementation of conservation messaging in wildlife-based tourism operations in order to maximize their educational potential. We end by calling for further research efforts on the factors implicated in effective conservation messaging in wildlife-based tours in order to pave the way for a new era of conservation-oriented tourism.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Biodiversity loss ; Conservation messaging ; Emotional engagement ; Environmental education ; Interpretive experience ; Nature connectedness ; SDG 4 - Quality Education ; SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth ; SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production ; SDG 15 - Life on Land
Published in:	People and Nature, Vol. 2, Issue 3 (September 2020) , p. 596-607, ISSN 2575-8314

DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10114

12 p, 913.3 KB

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