Why research on influencing tourist behaviour?

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School of & Hospitality Management ³,QGXVWU\VFKHPHVVHHPWRXQGHUHVWLPDWHWKHQHHGIRUVXVWDLQDEOH DFWLRQRQWKHGHPDQGVLGH´ Budeanu, 2007 Using research to foster pro-environmental behaviour The majority of tourists appear to be reluctant to change their behaviour to support sustainability goals.

Betty Weiler CREM, 2000; Grankvist, 2002; Yan et al, 2006

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Zoos Heritage Attractions

Zoos Vision: The Sovereign Hill Charter: (website Jan 2011)

µTo be the world's leading zoo-EDVHGFRQVHUYDWLRQRUJDQLVDWLRQ¶ µ2XUSXUSRVHDW6RYHUHLJQ+LOODQGWKH*ROG0XVHXPLVWRLQVSLUHDQ understanding of the significance of the central Victorian gold rushes LQ$XVWUDOLD¶VQDWLRQDOVWRU\DQGDW1DUPERRORIWKHLPSRUWDQFHRI Excerpt from Mission: (website Jan 2011) WKHODQGZDWHUDQGELRGLYHUVLW\LQ$XVWUDOLD¶VIXWXUH¶

µ3URYLGLQJLQQRYDWLYHUHFUHDWLRQDQGOHDUQLQJH[SHULHQFHVWKDW inspire visitors to take conservation actions that make a measurable DQGSRVLWLYHGLIIHUHQFH¶

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Accommodation Providers Tour Operators

Jembi-5LQMDK(FR/RGJH¶VPLVVLRQ(website Jan 2011) Intrepid: (website Jan 2011) µ7RPDLQWDLQDXQLTXHWRXULVPDQGHGXFDWLRQDOIDFLOLW\RIIHULQJD tranquil experience whilst ensuring an ecologically sustainable µ,QWUHSLGLVFRPPLWWHGWRWUDYHOOLQJLQDZD\WKDWLVUHVSHFWIXORIORFDO IXWXUHWKURXJKSUDFWLFHVEDVHGRQDµWUHDGVRIWO\OLYHOLJKWO\¶ people, their culture, local economies, and the environment. With SKLORVRSK\¶ your participation, we can help conserve the areas we visit and bring SRVLWLYHEHQHILWVWRKRVWFRPPXQLWLHV¶

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µ%\FRQWULEXWLQJWRRQHRIWKHPDQ\SURMHFWVZHVXSSRUW\RXFDQ µ:HSULGHRXUVHOYHVRQWKHTXDOLW\RIWKHH[SHULHQFHZHVKDUHZLWK make a difference in local communities - in health care, education, our guests and work continuously to raise the bar for responsible human rights, child welfare and in environmental and wildlife WUDYHO¶ protection.¶ 5 6

1 Destinations Protected Area Management Agencies

Tourism : (website Jan 2011) Parks Victoria: (website Jan 2011)

µ7RZRUNLQSDUWQHUVKLSZLWKLQGXVWU\JRYHUQPHQWDQGWKHFRPPXQLW\ µ7KHIROORZLQJZHESDJHVRIIHULQIRUPDWLRQRQKRZWRSURYLGHD to facilitate appropriate and on and for public rewarding experience that will last in the minds of your visitors long ODQG¶ DIWHUWKH\OHDYH¶

µ6WURQJH[SHULHQFHVFDQSURIRXQGO\LQIOXHQFH\RXUYLVLWRUV ([FHUSWVIURP39¶VWRXULVPUROH Experiences can change the way they view their lives and the world around them. They can have a long-lasting impact on the way your ‡ effectively communicating and promoting the role public land areas visitors think and on what they believe. This can even lead to play in tourism. changes in their behaviour, for which some interpretive programs, ‡ licensing and working with tour operators to ensure they play a key OLNHWKRVHLQVHQVLWLYHQDWXUDODUHDVDUHDLPLQJ¶ role in ... promoting values and appropriate behaviours ....

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Non-Government Organisations Events The Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology (Jan2011) Bluesfest: (interviews late 2010) µ:HXQGHUVWDQGQRWRQO\WKHLPSRUWDQFHRIFDULQJIRUHFRV\VWHPVEXW DOVRWKHLPSHUDWLYHIRULQVSLULQJDQGHQJDJLQJRWKHUVLQFRQVHUYDWLRQ¶ µ:HVHHWKHLPSRUWDQFHRILQFUHDVLQJSXEOLFDZDUHQHVVRIDOO HQYLURQPHQWDOLVVXHVDQGWROHDGE\GHPRQVWUDWLRQ¶

Two key areas of activity are: 3HDW¶V5LGJH (interviews late 2010) Stewardship: Inviting people to participate in conservation activities and research, and helping them to reconnect with nature. µ$W3HDWV5LGJH)HVWLYDORXUSDVVLRQLVWRPDUU\PXVLFDUWDQG Education and Capacity Building: Raising environmental awareness sustainability to nurture, educate and entertain our audience in and building local capacity for conservation efforts. SXUVXLWRIWUXHVXVWDLQDELOLW\¶

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INSERT PHOTOS HERE 1. Industry has the goodwill ...

‡ to positively impact the understanding, attitudes ‡ Text and behaviour of visitors ‡ text

‡ to manage and promote responsible on-site behaviour and

‡ to foster post-visit pro-environmental behaviour

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2 Examples Examples Attitudes On-Site Behaviours Off-Site Behaviours Other Off-Site Behaviours ‡ Positive attitude toward ‡ Not feeding wildlife Specific to Site ‡ Reducing/re-using/recycling at treading softly ‡ Staying on the track ‡ Participating in a public home ‡ Favourability toward ‡ Using the shuttlebus meeting ‡ Creating wildlife habitats at protection of heritage ‡ Keeping dogs on lead ‡ Signing petitions home ‡ Support for protected ‡ Carrying out rubbish ‡ Making sustainable purchases area management ‡ Lobbying politicians agencies ‡ Not removing artefacts ‡ Writing letters of support (e.g. recycled TP) ‡ Responsible pet ownership ‡ Support for wildlife / ‡ Not approaching / ‡ -RLQLQJD³IULHQGV´JURXS harrassing marine wildlife habitat protection ‡ Volunteering at a park or ‡ Talking about / encouraging ‡ Favourability toward ‡ Reducing/re-using/recycling zoo or project others while on-site choosing eco-friendly ‡ Sponsoring an animal ‡ Making eco-friendly and ‡ Sustainable purchases (e.g. leisure choices travel products / options ‡ Donating money Beads, Snare-ware)

Industry has the will, but does it have the Results of GCF for Galapagos Islands ways and means ... Over $1 million raised since 1997 ‡ to positively impact the understanding, attitudes ‡ Eradication of feral pigs on the and behaviour of visitors? island of Santiago ‡ Re-establishment of native plant species ‡ to influence and foster responsible on-site ‡ Support for national parks behaviour? and patrolling efforts ‡ Establishment of local ‡ to foster post-visit pro-environmental behaviour? environmental education program including local university scholarship program

http://www.solutions-site.org/cat1_sol116.htm 15 16

Environmental Schemes that include Quality Assurance and Best Practice Initiatives Managing and Influencing Visitor Behaviour

‡ Awards of excellence ‡ Codes of conduct Eco Certification Program (formerly NEAP) ‡ Accreditation and certification ‡ Monitoring and evaluation www..org.au/eco_certification.asp Black and Crabtree, 2007: 10

‡ Licensing ‡ Training Eco Guide Certification Program ‡ Professional associations Black and Weiler, 2005 www.ecotourism.org.au/ecoguide.asp

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3 2. Industry does not do or use research to impact visitor attitudes and behaviour

‡ It is largely ineffective at impacting the understanding, attitudes and behaviour of visitors

‡ It under-utilises research-led communication as a tool to manage and foster pro-environmental behaviour and

‡ It lacks an appreciation for the need for research to inform post-visit pro-environmental behaviour 19 20

Industry + Research Behaviour Research in a Tourism Context

1. Research has evaluated and often demonstrated the failure of management and communication initiatives to succeed at impacting attitudes and behaviours

2. Research has assessed the effectiveness of codes of practice, training programs, accreditation/certification schemes in optimising pro-environmental outcomes

3. Research has teased out issues and relationships between visitor management practices (including tourist communication) and attitudinal/behavioural outcomes

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Behaviour Research in a Tourism Context Behaviour Research in a Tourism Context

4. Recently, research has demonstrated some degree of attitude and behavioural outcomes ± usually these have been on-site

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4 Examples of communication interventions that have successfully impacted on-site Other successful communication interventions: beliefs, attitude and behaviour ‡ Appealing to normative beliefs (setting a good example) ‡ By targeting the non-complier belief that walking off the resulted in a 20% increase in visitors who picked up track leads to getting better views and photos, the RWKHUSHRSOH¶VUXEELVKDW5XVVHOO)DOOV1DWLRQDO3DUN intervention converted 70% of Port Campbell NP visitors from intending to walk off the track to intending to stay on the track ‡ Appealing to normative beliefs (less of a nuisance and other dog owners would approve) resulted in a 19% increase in owners keeping their dogs on the lead at ‡ By targeting the belief that taking the shuttle bus would Yellagonga Regional Park improve the flexibility of the experience, the intervention convinced 54% of Cradle Mountain visitors who intended to drive their car to decide to take the shuttle bus instead ‡ Multiple layers of interpretation resulted in improved attitudes (positive attitude toward nature conservation) at :HUULEHH=RR¶V/LRQVRQWKH(GJHH[KLELW 25 26

3. Tourism research is still falling short of ... What is needed?

‡ effectively demonstrating the success and failures of Scholars have a role to play experimental interventions aimed at impacting the ‡ Review and critique theory understanding, attitudes and behaviour of visitors, especially off-site and long-term impacts Empirical researchers have a role to play ‡ Apply theory and adapt methods to a tourism context ‡ identifying variables (content of messages and communication media) that explain success and failure ‡ Extend theory and look for anomalies in tourism context

‡ being able to impact and measure the impact of long- Industry has a role to play term (post-visit) behaviour ‡ Facilitate experimental research including not just observation, but contributing to planned interventions

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Testing what works best: An example from a hospitality context But what works best?

Please consider the environment. Hang up your We are committed to Most guests at this Many of our visitors are towel so we know not to eco-friendly practice. consider the environment donatingĹ here to help save replace it. Reusing towels and reuse their towel at least wildlife habitat. decreases the use of = Do your part to save once during their stay. = electricity, detergents and wildlife habitat: Please join them in Please join them. water. Please reuse your Reduce, re-use, recycle. considering the environment Donate now. towel and reuse your towel.

baseline descriptive norm

5 But what works best? But what works best?

At this hotel we are Most guests who stay in this Most zoo visitors who visit committed to the room consider the this exhibit and read this sign environment. When you All donations are used to environment and reuse their donate to save wildlife Ĺ reuse your towel, we help save wildlife habitat. towel at least once during habitat. = donate a percentage of the = their stay. Please join them in 0% money we save in energy Donate now. considering the environment Please join them. use to WWF. Please reuse and reuse your towel. Donate now. your towel

descriptive norm reciprocity

Challenges and Constraints But what works best? 1. Perceived and actual burden on visitors

:LWKWKHPRQH\ZH¶YH At this hotel, we are raised through donations 2. Perceived and actual burden on managers, park committed to the ZH¶YHEHHQDEOHWRPDNHD management agencies and others HQYLURQPHQW:H¶YHDOUHDG\ real difference in saving donated to WWF on behalf wildlife habitat. of our guests in anticipation = Ĺ 3. Limited expertise, funding and support for this type of RIWKHVDYLQJVZH¶OOPDNH Thanks in anticipate of research through towel reuse. your donation and support. Please reuse your towel 4. Practicalities of accessing, influencing and assessing the efficacy of interventions pre- and post-visit

correct application of reciprocity 34

Conclusion Acknowledgements and Sources Cited:

Brown, Terry J. , Ham, Sam H. and Hughes, Michael(2010) 'Picking up litter: an application of theory based communication to influence tourist behaviour in protected areas', Journal of Sustainable Tourism Industry + scholarship + research Curtis, Jim. (2008) Influencing visitor use of alternative transportation systems in Australian national parks: an application of the theory of planned behaviour. Unpublished PhD. .

Ham, S. H.; Weiler, B.; Hughes, M.; Brown, T..; Curtis, J.; Poll, M. (2007) Asking Visitors to Help: Research to Guide Strategic Communication in Protected Area Management. STCRC Report, Brisbane. ISBN 9781920965716.

)RFXVQHHGVWRPRYHEH\RQGLQIOXHQFLQJWRXULVWV¶ Ham, S.H., Brown, T.J., Curtis, J., Weiler, B., Hughes, M., and Poll, M. (2007). Promoting Persuasion in Protected Areas: A Guide for Managers. Developing strategic communication to influence visitor behaviour. Sustainable Tourism CRC, on-site attitudes/behaviours to pre- and post- Brisbane. +XJKHV0+DP6+ %URZQ7µ,QIOXHQFLQJSDUNYLVLWRUEHKDYLRXUDEHOLHI-EDVHGDSSURDFK¶Journal of Park and visit behaviour Recreation Administration, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 38-53.

Smith, L.; Broad, S.; and Weiler, B. (2008). A closer examination of the impact of zoo visits on visitor behaviour. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16 (5): 544-562.

Need to influence decision-makers in the tourism Smith, L.D.G., Van Dijk3DQG&XUWLV-  µWhen does the zoo start to nag? Testing the limits for pro-wildlife EHKDYLRXUUHTXHVWV¶Journal of the International Zoo Educators Association 46: 47-50 industry Smith, L.D.G., Curtis, J. and Van Dijk, P. (2010) What the zoo should ask: the visitor perspective on pro-wildlife behaviour attributes Curator: The Museum Journal 53(3): 339-357

Weiler, B. and Smith, L. (2009). Does more interpretation lead to greater outcomes? An assessment of the impacts of multiple layers of interpretation in a zoo context. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 17 (1): 91-105. 35

6 Acknowledgements and Sources Cited: Acknowledgements and Sources Cited:

Armstrong, E. K. and Weiler, B. (2002) Getting the message across: an analysis of messages delivered by tour operators in protected areas. Journal of Ecotourism 1 (2): 104-121. Ballantyne5 3DFNHU-µ3URPRWLQJHQYLURQPHQWDOO\VXVWDLQDEOHDWWLWXGHVDQGEHKDYLRXUWKURXJKIUHH-choice OHDUQLQJH[SHULHQFHVZKDWLVWKHVWDWHRIWKHJDPH"¶ Environmental Education Research, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 281-295. Ballantyne53DFNHU- +XJKHV.µ7RXULVWV¶VXSSRUWIRUFRQVHUYDWLRQPHVVDJHVDQGVXVWDLQDEOHPDQDJHPHQW With thanks to: SUDFWLFHVLQZLOGOLIHWRXULVPH[SHULHQFHV¶ Tourism Management, vol. 30, pp. 658-664. Beaumont, N. (2001). Ecotourism and the conservation ethic: Recruiting the uninitiated or preaching to the converted? ‡ Liam Smith Journal of Sustainable Tourism 9(4), 317-341. Black, R. and Crabtree, A. (2007) Quality Assurance and Certification in Ecotourism. Wallingford, CABI. ‡ Jim Curtis Black, R. and Weiler, B. (2005) Quality Assurance and Regulatory Mechanism in the Tour Guiding Industry. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16 (1): 24-37. ‡ Aise Kim Budeanu, A. (2007). Sustainabile tourist behaviour ± a discussion of opportunities for change. International Journal of ‡ Rosemary Black Consumer Studies 31: 499-509. Littlefair& %XFNOH\5µ,QWHUSUHWDWLRQUHGXFHVHFRORJLFDOLPSDFWVRIYLVLWRUVWR:RUOG+HULWDJH6LWH¶Ambio, vol. 37 ‡ Mike Hughes no. 5, pp. 338-341. Munro, JK, Morrison-6DXQGHUV$ +XJKHV0µ(QYLURQPHQWDOLQWHUSUHWDWLRQHYDOXDWLRQLQQDWXUDODUHDV¶Journal of ‡ Tourism Research Unit, Monash University Ecotourism, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1-14. 2¶1HLOO)%DUQDUG6 /HH'Best practice and interpretation in tourist/wildlife encounters: A wild dolphin swim tour example. Research Report Series No. 25. Gold Coast, Australia: CRC Sustainable Tourism .Oram s, Zeppel+µ(GXFDWLRQDQG&RQVHUYDWLRQ%HQHILWVRI0DULQH:LOGOLIH7RXUV'HYHORSLQJ)UHH-choice Learning ([SHULHQFHV¶The Journal of Environmental Education, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 3-17. Zeppel, H & Muloin6µ&RQVHUYDWLRQ%HQHILWVRI,QWHUSUHWDWLRQRQ0DULQH:LOGOLIH7RXUV¶Human Dimensions of Wildlife, vol. 13, pp. 280-294.

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