Environmentalism and Tourists' Experiences on Swim-With Dolphins Tours

Over the past decades, the demand for nature-based
tourism has increased drastically, with a
particularly high demand for whale and dolphin
watching. This study examines environmental values,
attitudes and behaviour of tourists on dolphin tours
in New Zealand, and how they relate to their on-tour
experiences. A demographic profile of participants
formed the basis for these analyses, which employed
the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, the
Environmental Concern (EC) scale, and the General
Measure of Ecological Behavior (GEB). Factors
contributing to the visitor experience, including
interpretation and education, tourist satisfaction,
and perceived crowding were also addressed. Results
indicate that tourists on dolphin tours generally
embrace high environmental values and attitudes,
although their environmental behaviour does not
consistently reflect this. Demographic
characteristics have insignificant influence on both
the environmental consciousness, and the on-tour
experience. Tour staff have good knowledge about
dolphins, but respondents expect more information
about the wider marine environment. Crowding is a
minor problem that does not seem to influence the
experience.