Themes for wildlife tourism workshop
Themes for National Wildlife Tourism Workshop May 2012
Python at Currawinya National Park. Photo courtesy of Araucaria Ecotours
Major themes will be:
The economics of wildlife tourism:
- What is the value of wildlife to Australia’s tourism industry and general economy?
- How do small operators provide quality experiences, stay environmentally sound and market effectively during tough economic times?
- (and please see an interview with Emeritus Professor of Economics, Clem Tisdell, who will be one of our keynote speakers)
Providing world-class wildlife experiences
- How to provide truly memorable wildlife experiences and associated interpretation
- Responsible human-wildlife interaction
- Catering to different kinds of tourist (age, education, language, background experience, disabilities …)
Wildlife tourism supporting conservation
- Combining tourism, conservation and research
- Conservation breeding, habitat restoration, wildlife care and other positive contributions
- The role of zoos and their responsibilities
Emerging threats to wildlife and tourism
- What effects will the mining boom have, and how can they be mitigated?
- Other effects – increased population, climate change etc.
- Minimising negative impacts of tourism on wildlife
- See also http://wildlifetourism.org.au/discussions/threats-to-australian-wildlife/
Feel free to suggest other themes below (also to click on the links above and comment on any of these)
Trophy or connection: what do visitors want from their birdwatching experience?
Staying small: the beauty of a minimalist approach to wildlife tourism.
We will now be planning a new topic concerning the role of zoos and their credibility and reputation as conservation organisations – more details soon