Tourists and tour operators as citizen scientists: potential and challenges
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
; 19(2):16-26, 2021.
Article
in English
| CAB Abstracts | ID: covidwho-1897810
ABSTRACT
Wildlife tour operators often visit natural habitats regularly and remote ones less often. Academic researchers and their students often do not have the budget to do so, or to send research assistants. Keepers in wildlife parks and zoos and ecolodge managers often have the opportunity to observe animals almost daily, but may lack the time to sit and watch for many hours. There would appear to be much scope for tour operations and their tourists to participate in citizen science. There are already numerous examples, from day-trippers photographing whale tails on cruises to help monitor migratory individuals, to experiences such as 'Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppes', a two-week citizen science excursion run by the Earthwatch Institute and Denver Zoo to collect data on Mongolian wildlife in cooperation with local researchers. Potential and actual problems of using tourists and tour operators as citizen scientists have been voiced, but there are ways of overcoming at least some of them. Tour operators looking for ways of engaging domestic tourists now that Covid-19 lockdown prevents many international visits may consider the potential for incorporating citizen science activities that offer their guests a food learning experience, a sense of achievement and perhaps a closer look at some species than would normally be possible.
Tourism and Travel [UU700]; Biological Resources (Animal) [PP710]; Education and Training [CC100]; Social Psychology and Social Anthropology [UU485]; Natural Resource Economics [EE115]; ecotourism; cooperation; cruises; learning; managers; scientists; students; tour operators; tourism; tourists; wildlife; zoological gardens; Colorado; Mongolia; USA; Great Plains States of USA; APEC countries; high income countries; North America; America; OECD Countries; very high Human Development Index countries; Mountain States of USA; Western States of USA; Central Asia; Asia; East Asia; high Human Development Index countries; lower-middle income countries; United States of America; zoos
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Collection:
Databases of international organizations
Database:
CAB Abstracts
Language:
English
Journal:
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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