Rainforest Tourism, Conservation and Management: challenges for sustainable development

Globally rainforests are under threat on numerous fronts, including clearing for agriculture, harvesting for timber and urban expansion. Yet they have a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and providing other ecosystem services. Rainforests are also attractive tourist spaces and where they have been used as a tourism resource they have generated significant income for local communities. However, not all use of rainforests as a tourism resource has been sustainable. This book argues that sustainability must be the foundation on which tourism use of this complex but ultimately fragile ecosystem is built upon. It provides a multi-disciplinary perspective, incorporating rainforest science, management and tourism issues. The book is organized into four sections commencing with 'Tourism in rainforest regions', followed by 'Threats to rainforest tourism' and 'The development and management of rainforest experiences', and finally 'Wildlife and rainforest tourism'. Each major rainforest region is covered, including the Amazon, Central America, Africa, Australia and south-east Asia, in the context of a specific issue. For example, rainforests in Papua New Guinea are examined in the context of community-based ecotourism development, while the rainforests in Borneo are discussed in an examination of wildlife issues. Other issues covered in this manner include governance, empowerment issues for rainforest peoples and climate change

An evaluation of unethical business practices in Australia's China inbound tourism market

This paper examines the prevalence of unethical practices within the business sector operating in the China to Australia tourism market. The range and nature of the practices is outlined in the context of the structure of outbound operations in China and inbound operations in Australia, taking account of the roles of the respective governments. The prospective impact of the practices on the growth of the market is evaluated. An estimation is provided of the potentially negative impacts of word-of-mouth recommendations on future China to Australia tourism flows

Implications for tourism of a future transition to a low-carbon economy

At some point in the near future there will be a need to transition global economic systems from the current high-carbon linear production system best described as ‘take, make, dispose’ system to a low-carbon production system based on recycling. This paper briefly discusses how previous global scale economic production systems have transitioned though a series of revolutions including the Agricultural Revolution and the Industrial Revolution to create today’s high-carbon economy and mass tourism. The paper then considers implications for the tourism industry of a future transition to a low-carbon economy. The paper concludes that provided the tourism industry is proactive in its approach to this transition there are likely to be significant opportunities for further growth in tourism

DEVELOPING ECOTOURISM IN YUNNAN: THE KEY ROLE OF EDUCATION IN ACHIEVING LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

Possessing a unique range of high value ecosystems, landscapes, heritage and indigenous cultures, Yunnan (China) has embraced ecotourism as the major form of tourism activity promoted by the provincial authorities. Unfortunately, few government officials or private sector investors are aware of the requirements for establishing and maintaining a long term sustainable industry based on the principles of ecotourism and sustainabiity. Many of the tourism projects labelled as 'eco' have all the hallmarks of mass tourism development. This paper argues that one effective measure to overcome this problem of understanding is through education and suggests a Tourism Education Framework based on the major stakeholder groups who are involved either directly or indirectly in the provinces' ecotourism industry

Japanese backpacking: the emergence of a new market sector - a Queensland case study

This article reports on a study of Japanese backpackers conducted in Queensland, arguing that this backpacker sector has a range of characteristics that differ from Western backpackers who, to date, have constituted the main representatives of this segment visiting Australia. The research identified a number of areas where the characteristics of Japanese backpackers varied from those of the overall backpacker population in Australia. One major point of difference was the emphasis placed by this market segment on learning English and a preference for activities that focused on the environment rather than other activities such as soft adventure

Community based tourism in Maraj Island - Brazil: achieving a success story

This paper examines socio and an economic opportunity that community based tourism is offering to a local community in a remote region, in this case Marajo Island in the Brazilian Amazon region. A number of authors have endorsed that community based tourism can improve the well being of local communities. Participant observation and semi structured interviews were employed to identify the impacts of community based tourism on Pesqueiro village, community located in Marajo Island. The results indicate strong community participation, enhancement of quality of life and encouraging local community to develop community based tourism as a good strategy for local development

Sustainable Nature-Based Tourism: planning and management. Report on visitation and use at Emmagen Creek, Far North Queensland, 2009/2010

[Extract] Key findings based on a visitor survey undertaken between October 2008 and April 2010. Emmagen Creek is located in the northern section of Daintree National Park, approximately nine kilometres north of Cape Tribulation Village and seven kilometres north of the popular Kulki visitor site. Emmagen Creek is the last visitor site in the Daintree National Park and the first creek crossing on the Bloomfield Track. The traditional custodians of the area are the Eastern Kuku Yalanji. Many of the vehicles that pass through the site are driven by locals. The site is undeveloped with no built facilities apart from a sign indicating the presence of crocodiles and a short track that connects the road to a freshwater swimming hole. Car parking is available along the side of the road

Sustainable Nature Based Tourism: planning and management. Report on visitation and use at Barron Falls, Far North Queensland, 2009/2010

[Extract] This report is one of a series of ten that examine visitor activity at sites within Wet Tropics rainforests. The aim of the research was to provide a snapshot of visitor activity to inform management on how sites are used and investigate visitors' views on site management. Visitor data was collected using a self-completed visitor survey. Collectively the series of reports will provide an overall understanding of how visitors use the rainforest and provide managers with feedback that can be used for site management and future planning. Responsibility for the management of the Wet Tropics rainforests is shared by the Wet Tropics Management Authority (WTMA) and the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). The WTMA was established after listing of the Wet Tropics as a World Heritage site and is responsible for the planning of visitor sites across the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA). The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), an agency of the DERM, has responsibility for the day to day management of site infrastructure including toilets, car parking, signage, viewing lookouts, boardwalks, walking trails and other recreational facilities. The Wet Tropics has a large number of visitor sites, some of which have high rates of visitation. A number of sites have relatively low visitation rates, but all offer unique nature-based visitor experiences

Community based tourism in Maraj Island - Brazil: achieving a success story

This paper examines socio and an economic opportunity that community based tourism is offering to a local community in a remote region, in this case Marajo Island in the Brazilian Amazon region. A number of authors have endorsed that community based tourism can improve the well being of local communities. Participant observation and semi structured interviews were employed to identify the impacts of community based tourism on Pesqueiro village, community located in Marajo Island. The results indicate strong community participation, enhancement of quality of life and encouraging local community to develop community based tourism as a good strategy for local development

Snorkellers' environmentally conscious behaviour after visiting the Great Barrier Reef

The majority of tourists who visit Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR) engage in snorkelling. Yet little is known about how snorkellers perceive this experience. The aim of this study was to investigate snorkeller behaviour by exploring their environmental opinions and to provide insights on the association between climate concerns and environmentally conscious behaviours of snorkellers. A self-administered questionnaire (n = 273) was distributed onboard reef tourism vessels visiting the study area. Approximately one-third of respondents believe that climate change and global warming are major threats to the GBR. Regression results indicate the environmentally conscious behaviour model (ECBM), a modified version of the norm activation model, is effective in understanding how a snorkeller’s level of climate concern (LCC) both directly and indirectly activates and influences a snorkeller’s environmentally conscious behaviour (ECB). LCC has a positive direct effect on ECB, and a positive indirect effect via environmental identity (EI), and personal environmental norms (PEN)