Planeta Forum

[planeta]

This topic will examine current data on the demand for ecotourism/nature
tourism and general tourism. Suggestions and comments are welcome. Click 'post reply'

[Miker]

This is a very important topic ñ I am glad you have prompted this Ron.

To begin I personally do not think there is a market segment that can be defined as ìecotouristsî. There are tourists covering a wide range of market segments who adopt, or believe in, some or all of the principles of ecotourism when they travel:
ï Minimize the impact of their travels on the environment
ï Maximize the benefits to the local people
ï Willing to pay something extra for natural heritage conservation or cultural heritage preservation
ï Interest in education and learning
ï Select an operator or business that achieves the above

I will use my own travels as an example. I took my two daughters to Costa Rica this summer for a vacation with the primary motivators being to seek adventure (tree climbing, rappelling, surfing, hiking etc) and to see wildlife (macaws, monkeys, snakes etc). I did my research and planning and selected two ecolodges as the venues for our vacation ñ Selva Bananito on the Caribbean coast and Bosque del Cabo on the Osa Peninsula near Corcovado National Park. Passing through San Jose for one night we selected a small artsy inn called Hotel Milvia. I was not primarily motivated to seek an ecotourism vacation. I was motivated by activities that both I and my daughters would enjoy in a unique setting with a good climate. The best way to categorize us would be soft adventurers with an interest in viewing wildlife. We selected the ecolodges because we felt they support the principles and values we have for traveling in sensitive natural areas. This summer I also took my son on a canoe trip down a river with some native friends guiding us. We practiced no trace camping. On a winter vacation my motivations would be skiing. At times I am also a business traveler. I would fall into numerous market segments at different times of the year and with different motivations.

There are two ways that I approach market research for ecotourism product developments like an ecolodge. I evaluate research relating to activity based segments as well as psychographic segments. A good example here in Ontario would be the Travel Attitudes and Motivation Survey (TAMS research) that can be found at the following government web site - http://www.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/ under the Research tab and then the Reports tab. There is even a research report on Factors Influencing Visitors Choices of Urban Destinations in North America. This research illustrates the relative importance of parks and greenspaces as attractors against other attractions like shopping centres, amusements parks, architecture, popular entertainment etc. The TAMS research database was a representative sample of US and Canadian travellers.


There are many useful databases depending on the market segments one is interested in and the geographic location of the market (for example the Canadian Tourism Commission undertakes country specific research in Europe and Asia). The second type of research that I would then consult is research that characterizes travellers who have an interest in the principles of ecotourism. Two excellent and current sources of information are the Geotourism research by the TIA of America for National Geographic Traveler and the Cultural Creatives research representing the culmination of 17 years of research for two American researchers. These types of research databases provide useful insight into the characteristics, product preferences and ways to reach these market segments I would build the visitation projections and an associated marketing strategy for the proposed ecotourism business based on this type of market insight combined with an assessment of the competitive context and the accessibility of the business location to the markets.

We often see research that presents itself as research on the ecotourism market. For example the reports produced for the WTO associated with the International Year of Ecotourism. These were essentially an analysis of existing research ñ generally nature-based tourism segmentation research. We all know that not all nature based tourism can be categorized as ecotourism. The problem with this approach is that the research analyzed is only as good, or useful as the questions asked in the actual survey work. Questioning on ecotourism principles was typically not part of these surveys.

[Barbara Kastelein]

Just a thought on Mikerís very informative post on what might be an ecotourist market sector and how to approach market research for the sector.

I have no marketing experience but thinking about activity based segments and principles of ecotourism ring true.

With regard to the latter, combined with the point that there is likely to be an ìinterest in education and learningî (and Mikerís comment about traveling with his daughters) I think ñ although itís probably been said many times before ñ that ecotourism seems to have a special attraction for families, or those traveling with children.

Small children obviously preclude hard adventure ecotourism, but for all children I think parents are interested in an educational component to their holidays ñ not merely out of principal, but also as part of entertainment, keeping the childís mind occupied, and less likely to be bored.

My experience is the market and information for family tourism is underdeveloped in Mexico (I have proposed articles and guidebooks for travel with kids to a Mexican and a US publisher, both of whom are dragging their feet, although the Mexican company did steal the article idea 6 months later) but I think there could be a fruitful link to be made between family tourism and eco-tourism, including urban ecotourism.

[planeta]

Recommended reading

Taming the superlatives - John Shores/Biodiversity and Tourism Conference
http://forums.ceh.ac.uk:8080/~bioplatform/read?6338,265

"In our quest for superlatives to use in describing our work, we are prone to claim (and repeat other's claims) that tourism is variously the biggest,
fastest growing, or largest earner of foreign currency. I admit that it is
comforting to feel that our chosen field is not fading away, but we need to
keep the proper perspective."

REFERENCE

Biodiversity and Tourism Conference
http://forums.ceh.ac.uk:8080/~bioplatform

[planeta]

Recommended reading

Aviation developments to shape the future of tourism - TFC
http://www.aabic.com.au/latest-news/aviation-developments-to-shape-the-future-of-tourism-tfc/

[planeta]

Call for articles/links:

If you have information about current stats in tourism, please consider writing an article or posting a link to relevant information elsewhere on the web.