Diane Lee

Advancing conceptual understanding of partnerships between protected area agencies and the tourism industry: a postdisciplinary and multi-theoretical approach.

This paper reviews a range of theoretical approaches to partnerships working between protected area agencies and the tourism industry. While partnerships are a hallmark of contemporary thinking about protected area management, research to date leaves considerable scope for development, application and testing of theory. The paper draws eight theoretical approaches from the literature with potential application to a study of the contributors to partnership success. It progresses a postdisciplinary approach to partnership research. A 72-item questionnaire was derived from the theoretical perspectives and completed by 100 partners. Analysis identified features perceived as potentially contributing to a successful partnership as well as the key outcomes of a successful partnership. The findings indicate the prominence of institutional analysis and development, social capital, environmental dispute resolution and network theories in explaining partnership success. Given the centrality of partnerships in protected area tourism and ongoing societal interest in the sustainability of such areas, this paper provides vital insights to further multi-theoretical, postdisciplinary research, and to the successful management of partnerships.

Observations of non-compliance behaviour by tourists to a voluntary code of conduct: a pilot study of turtle tourism in the Exmouth region, Western Australia.

This paper reports on the results of a pilot study of observations of non-compliance behaviour by tourists to a voluntary code of conduct based on marine turtles attempting to nest in the Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia. The study used focal-animal sampling to record the response of marine turtles to non compliance behaviour of tourist groups. Results of observations indicated that 77% of tourist groups breached the code of conduct, with 51% of these breaches resulting in a disturbance to marine turtles attempting to nest. The key aspects of the code of conduct that were breached included: shining light on the turtle; being closer than three metres from a turtle; and not staying behind the turtle at all times. The greatest disturbance to marine turtles was from tourists groups shining their torches on the turtles. This work demonstrates the need for further research into disturbance of turtles by tourists and the effectiveness of voluntary codes of conduct

Exploring the nature of stakeholder collaboration: a case study of marine turtle tourism in the Ningaloo region, Western Australia.

This paper explores the nature of stakeholder collaboration as a practical issue in the case of turtle tourism in the Ningaloo region of Western Australia. While there is a wealth of literature that explores the theory and conceptual ideas of collaboration in tourism planning, there is a need to explore these theories in applied situations. In this case study, key stakeholders of the Ningaloo Turtle Advisory Group were identified using snowballing methods and the nature of collaboration between stakeholders was investigated through an examination of workshop dialogue and action research. A framework for exploring the nature of collaboration was developed based on Bramwell and Sharmans (1999) [Collaboration in local tourism policy making. Annals of Tourism Research, 26(2), 392–415] criteria for measuring collaborative approaches and Mandells (1999) [The impact of collaborative efforts: Changing the face of public policy through networks and network structures. Policy Studies Review, 16, 4–17] continuum of collaboration. This research confirms that the success of collaboration relies on building partnerships and trust, recognizing interdependence, generating a collective vision and objectives and commitment among stakeholders within a structured process. The appointment of an external convenor also played an important role in facilitating the process, while a programme coordinator was essential for implementing the objectives generated by stakeholders.

Important ‘ingredients’ for successful tourism/protected area partnerships: partners' policy recommendations

Protected areas in Australia are of great importance to the tourism industry, conservation agencies, and other stakeholders. Due to an increase in limited resources and the complexity and uncertainty of the protected area/tourism planning context, these stakeholders are encouraged to enter partnerships. Their ability to work together effectively influences the quality of the tourist experience, the satisfaction of visitors, and the protection of the natural resource base on which the industry depends. This paper reports on in-depth interviews undertaken within a wider project that explored a number of different types of partnerships involved in tourism and protected areas with the aim of providing recommendations to policy makers regarding how successful partnerships operate. Seven key themes for policy recommendations emerged. It is suggested that, by considering and acting on these recommendations, policy makers can provide an environment that is more conducive to a collaborative approach for the management of sustainable tourism in protected areas. It is further suggested that the themes arising in this study have the potential for a wider application in a variety of tourism partnership settings.

Production and consumption of wildlife icons: dolphin tourism at Monkey Mia, Western Australia

This chapter reports on a study supported by Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, Australia (STCRC) concerning dolphin tourism at Monkey Mia in Western Australia Smith et al., 2006). Production and consumption of wildlife in terms of tourist space can be discussed through a spectrum of approaches from the anthropocentric form of narrative, where wildlife are viewed only in terms of their value to human kind, through to an ecocentric narrative where wildlife are seen to have their own right to existence. In essence, this represents the range of arguments from those who view wildlife as existing to be packaged and produced for consumption, to those who argue that wildlife should be simply that, and not be made available as a product. Dolphins have been the focus of tourism production and consumption at Monkey Mia since the 1970s, and this chapter endeavours to explore management of the conflict between preservation and use, and examine conservation management in this case undertaken by the Midwest Region of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), as a means to provide optimum outcomes for both wildlife and human life. Conservation seeks to balance the potential conflict and tensions between anthropocentric and ecocentric approaches.

Community attitudes to the acceptability of user fees in natural settings

A large-scale survey explored community attitudes towards the application of user fees in natural environment settings used for tourism and recreation. The study was undertaken in two Northern Australian cities where there is considerable tourism use and some existing application of a user fees approach. The study explored the acceptability of user fees for 14 different types of settings. Data revealed that a user fees approach was considered acceptable for tourism sites when tourists were being charged. There was some recognition that all users could pay user fees for the tourism sites. Seven recreation sites were seen as inappropriate locations for user fees irrespective of who was using the sites. Additional analyses identified clusters of respondents with common systems of knowledge or social representations about user fees. Further use of this systems of knowledge approach was recommended for advancing understanding and informing practice in this controversial area of tourism management.

Strategic management of the geographe wine region.

Wine tourism is emerging as a special interest niche market segment, while maintaining close relationships with other aspects of tourism, such as self-education (Crompton 1979; Pearce 1988) and rural tourism (Zeppel 1992; Hall and Macionis 1998; Johnson 1997; Getz 1998). The growth in wine tourism can be analysed from the demand and supply perspective (McIntosh and Goeldner 1990). From the demand perspective, international visitors to the wineries have increased at the rate of 19% per annum from 1993 through 1996, in Australia (South Australian Tourism Commission 1997). Australian wine tourism is predicted to increase its worth from

The concept of risk in nature-based tourism and recreation – A systematic literature review

428 million in 1996 to

Towards a spirituality-based platform in tourism higher education

1.1 billion by the year 2025 (Australian Wine Foundation 1996). From the supply perspective, wineries in Australia are recognizing the potential of tourism as a cost effective alternative to wholesale distribution. Tourism is seen as possessing the potential for creating brand awareness and brand loyalty, and may also provide immediate cash flow (Dodd 1995; Fuller 1997). The integration of wine industry with the tourism industry offers opportunities to complement both industries – a strategic move to develop their combined economic potential.

The development of an interpretive experience to foster positive tourist encounters and manage turtle tourism in Northwest Western Australia: Implications for further research

Risk is a complex concept, with its conceptualizations depending on epistemological perspectives and methodological approaches of the various research disciplines it is embedded within. It was the aim of this literature review to provide a scientific basis to understand how current academic research has approached the phenomenon of risk in the context of nature-based tourism and recreation. Using a systematic quantitative literature review method, we assessed how risk was conceptualized in a selection of 59 original research papers that have been published in English language peer-reviewed academic journals from 2000 to 2015. We identified fundamental differences in the perspectives taken by researchers discussing risk. Whilst 37 papers (63%) viewed risk as a potential negative consequence of participating in recreational outdoor activities, 22 studies (37%) investigated risk as a meaningful component of the outdoor experience dimension. The presented review led to the identification of specific risk factors that increase the likelihood of negative outcomes as well as potential benefits from participation, and also offers an overview of underlying psychological processes involved in the participation in ‘risky’ nature-based activities. Further research implications are discussed.