TOURISM - BIODIVERSITY

What I learned

BABU P GEORGE, PhDAssociate Professor (Business/Services)Alaska Pacific University, USA

Based on my primary research …

• Businesses care more for quantity than variety– Biomass Vs Biodiversity

• Personal ethics and values of individuals significantly determine their attitude towards the environment– Those with short-term utilitarian values are unlikely to

give heed to the call of the environment• Except when there is ‘immediate personal benefit’ from

sustaining a bio-diverse environment• The cost of biodiversity often exceeds intra-generational

benefits even though it surely is lower than longer term inter-generational benefits

Based on my primary research …

• Education plays are major role– Individuals with an educational foundation in the

humanities and the liberal arts develop a significantly higher level of eco-consciousness

• Lived experiences play a major role– Individuals born and/or brought up in bio-sensitive regions

develop a significantly higher level of eco-consciousness• Biodiversity as a perceived attraction (E.g.: natural

park) Vs biodiversity as a perceived impediment (E.g.: beach) – Tourists and businesses are more likely to behave

responsibly in the former case

Based on my primary research …

• Attraction sequencing influences tourist behavior– Tourists who visit eco-sensitive geographic areas

in the first part of a trip are more likely to behave responsibly throughout the rest of the trip, even while visiting destinations not so sensitive to impact. • Similar effect occurs when tourists are ‘educated’ early

on / before the trip

Based on my primary research …

• Small Vs Big debate– Small businesses ‘individually’ possess a better

developed eco-consciousness, as expected• But the aggregation of negative impacts of many small

businesses in a region is at least in some cases exceeds that of a single large business– Economies of scale might be reducing the negative impact of

serving ‘per person’.

• Also, the management of ecological resources becomes problematic when a region has diverse stakeholder groups with often conflicting developmental objectives

Based on my primary research …• Tourism related ‘imagery’ can help a destination’s

resident population to better understand its shared heritage and promote conservation related values.

• Cultural determinism is complex– Some cultures by definition are ecologically more

sensitive– Extant theory informs us that ‘long term oriented

cultures’ are more likely to behave responsibly to the environment• But, Why CHINA … and, of course, INDIA?

– Contrary to popular belief, in long term oriented cultures, people are less likely to feel the immediate need for an intervention

Based on my primary research …• Community based tourism (CBT) increases

entrepreneurs’ favorable attitude towards the benefits of biodiversity– “Biodiversity is vital, even if that means low tourism”

• Knowing that tourism businesses care for the environment induces tourists to demonstrate a similar attitude – and vice versa.

• Awareness that an ‘individual’ tourist’s action has a ‘direct’ and ‘significant’ impact upon the environment is a key tipping point in attitudinal change – Legitimacy + Feasibility + Effectiveness = Behavior

More during discussion / interaction!

Thanks for your patience~

Babu GeorgeEmail: babu.geor@gmail.comOn Facebook: facebook.com/dewofspring On Twitter: babugeorPhone:+01-601-255-4431