Nature-based Tourism and Conservation

The late Clem Tisdell, formerly Professor Emeritus, School of Economics, The University of Queensland, Australia and Clevo Wilson, Associate Professor, School of Economics and Finance, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

This book tackles the two edge sword of non consumptive wildlife tourism: on net does it add to or detract from species conservation? The book does so with a treasure trove of original survey research on the supply and demand for wildlife tourism on both public and private lands from Antarctica to rainforests to marine wildlife. The economic analysis is one of the first to apply new behavioral economics to analyzing tourists' choices. - John Loomis, Colorado State University, US Does nature-based tourism help or hinder biodiversity conservation? The answer provided by this authoritative volume is that it depends on context and type of tourism and is no easy panacea. Indeed it can result in an under supply of nature conservation from an economic point of view. This book provides an excellent synthesis, supported by case studies, of the tourism - conservation trade off problem, it will appeal to both academic and practitioner audiences. - R. Kerry Turner, CBE, University of East Anglia, UK This book encapsulates a lifetime's scholarly work between the authors. It sets out the platform upon which nature-based tourism may be discussed and debated, which it then enriches by a series of case examples, mostly drawn from personal experience. In doing so it performs a valuable service to all interested in this field by capturing those detailed insights into nature-based tourism that are often only acquired by experience. - Stephen Wanhill, Editor, Tourism Economics In today's world, even nature seems to have to pay its own way. Nature-based Tourism and Conservation provides detailed real-life examples of how this is working in various parts of the world, from rainforests to Antarctica, and how the tradeoffs can best be measured. Clem Tisdell and Clevo Wilson provide a unique economic perspective to the various issues involved, providing practical illustrations of how others can incorporate the various ways of considering costs and benefits when deciding how to define the role nature-based tourism when planning conservation measures. This book will be useful to a wide range of audiences, from national protected area agencies to private land-owners who are establishing their own nature-based tourism enterprises. - --Jeffrey McNeely, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Switzerland

• Contents: Preface Part I: Background 1. An Overview of Nature-based Tourism and Conservation 2. The Growing Importance of Nature-based Tourism: Its Evolution and Significant Policy Issues 3. The User-Pays Principle and Conservation in National Parks: Review and Australian Case Study Part II: Tourism, Protected Areas and Nature Conservation 4. World Heritage Listing of Australian Natural Sites: Effects on Tourism, Economic Value and Conservation 5. Antarctic Tourism: Environmental Concerns and the Importance of Antarctica’s Natural Attractions for Tourists 6. Rainforest Tourists: Wildlife and Other Features Attracting Visitors to Lamington National Park, Australia 7. Are Tourists Rational? Destination Decisions and Other Results from a Survey of Visitors to a North Queensland Natural Site – Jourama Falls 8. A Case Study of an NGO’s Ecotourism Efforts: Findings Based on a Survey of Visitors to its Tropical Nature Reserve Part III: Particular Wildlife Species or Groups of Species as Tourist Attractions 9. Tourism as a Force for Conserving Sea Turtles Under Natural Conditions 10. The Role of Open-cycle Hatcheries Relying on Tourism in Sea Turtle Conservation: A Blessing or a Threat? 11. Whale-Watching as a Tourism Resource and as an Impetus for the Conservation of Whales 12. Little Penguins and Other Seabirds as Tourist Drawcards 13. Yellow-eyed Penguins and Royal Albatross as Valuable Tourist Attractions 14. Glow-worms and Other Insects Entice Tourists 15. Tree-Kangaroos, Tourism and Conservation: A Study of a Little-known Species Part IV: This Study in Retrospect 16. General Conclusions Index