Kate Rodger | Murdoch University (original) (raw)
Papers by Kate Rodger
Current Issues in Tourism, 2017
Wildlife tourism is a growing industry globally and visitor satisfaction is vital to ensure its l... more Wildlife tourism is a growing industry globally and visitor satisfaction is vital to ensure its long-term sustainability. The Lower Kinabatangan River is a premier wildlife tourism destination that is affected by surrounding land uses and needs careful management to ensure it continues to provide positive wildlife tourism experiences. As little is known about the motivations and satisfaction of tourists with this experience, a visitor survey was conducted along the Lower Kinabatangan River with 346 surveys completed. The attribute 'Interest in viewing wildlife' had the highest mean level of importance and satisfaction (mean = 4.54 and 4.1, respectively, on a 5-point scale). Respondents were very satisfied with their wildlife tour experience (85%) and would recommend the experience to their friends (87%). However, almost half of respondents (47%) felt more needed to be done to protect the Kinabatangan River and wildlife. Although respondents were satisfied overall with their experience, they also expressed concerns over the number of boats and the protection of the River. Comments focused on the presence of rubbish in the River, intrusion of oil palm and the loss of forest. Many issues are beyond the management realms of tour operators but will impact on the future of the industry.
The technical reports present data and its analysis, meta-studies and conceptual studies, and are... more The technical reports present data and its analysis, meta-studies and conceptual studies, and are considered to be of value to industry, government or other researchers. Unlike the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre’s (STCRC’s) Monograph series, these reports have not been subjected to an external peer review process. As such, the scientific accuracy and merit of the research reported here is the responsibility of the authors, who should be contacted for clarification of any content. Author contact details are at the back of this report. The views and opinions of the authors expressed in the reports or by the authors if you contact them do not necessarily state or reflect those of the STCRC. While all reasonable efforts have been made to gather the most current and appropriate information, the STCRC does not give any warranty as to the correctness, completeness or suitability of the information, and disclaims all responsibility for and shall in no event be liable for an...
Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Little is known, howeve... more Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Little is known, however, about its impacts on the wildlife on which it depends. This paper explores, as a rst step in addressing this shortcoming, the perceptions held by tour operators, managers and wildlife scientists regarding the role and purpose of scien-tic research in sustainable wildlife tourism. The study drew on four case studies fromWestern Australia – two managed attractions and their managers and two wild-life tours and their operators – plus interviews with wildlife scientists. Key ndings included a focus by scientists on the conservation biology of threatened species and the ‘scientic method’. The inuences of the ‘scientic community ’ and ‘being a scientist ’ on scientists were also apparent. Managers and operators, on the other hand, focused on the urgency of scientic knowledge for addressing potential impacts. A major challenge to progressing the scientic attention given to the impacts of tou...
This is the author's final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer r... more This is the author's final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer review but without the publisher's layout or pagination.
The SAGE Handbook of Tourism Management: Theories, Concepts and Disciplinary Approaches to Tourism
Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Across the world the nu... more Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Across the world the number of tourists seeking close interaction with wildlife in their natural environment is growing. Understanding the interface between visitors (social) and wildlife (environmental) can make a critical contribution to the sustainability of this industry. This study examined wildlife tours in Australia. Questionnaires were posted to wildlife tour operators in Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory, seeking information on the characteristics of tours, and the place of science and moni-toring in their business. The results illustrate several similarities between wildlife and ecotourism, suggesting the benefits of increasing education and interpretation, both central features of ecotourism, to enhancing the sustainability of wildlife tourism. For tour operators, interactive activities included feeding, swimming with and touching wildlife, and the level of interaction was identifie...
Growth in the wildlife tourism industry has been significant in recent years with an increasing f... more Growth in the wildlife tourism industry has been significant in recent years with an increasing focus on tourism centered on free-ranging wildlife. In Australia tourism based in the marine environment, including observing and interacting with coastal and marine wildlife, is increasing in popularity. The future potential for increased growth in marine tourism is dependent upon the abundance and diversity of Australia’s marine wildlife. Negative impacts of tourism on marine wildlife are difficult to assess as in many cases little is known about the animals or their environment. With the rapid growth in marine tourism the potential for both biophysical and social impacts needs to be recognised. Given the potential impacts and the variable nature of wildlife tourism operations the need arises for a formal auditing and monitoring framework that can identify potential or actual problems and the need for management. This report will examine the opportunities and the barriers in producing a...
Many protected areas, especially national parks, have a dual function of preserving valued resour... more Many protected areas, especially national parks, have a dual function of preserving valued resources and realising the recreational values inherent within the area. The outcome of this duality can be difficult for protected area managers to reconcile when satisfying visitor use experiences threatens other values, especially biodiversity values. Understanding visitor use and its effect on biophysical resources is an important part of effective management. Monitoring of use and its effects, therefore, becomes vital to an adaptive management approach to address this sometimes conflicting management duality. Of concern though is the development and use of indicators to report on the sustainability of visitor use and management in protected areas (McCool & Stankey 2004). While protected area managing agencies in Australia have long been concerned with monitoring visitor impacts and experiences, the efforts have largely been site and activity specific, with no consistent methodological ap...
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Current Issues in Tourism
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Journal of Ecotourism, 2016
Current Issues in Tourism, 2017
Wildlife tourism is a growing industry globally and visitor satisfaction is vital to ensure its l... more Wildlife tourism is a growing industry globally and visitor satisfaction is vital to ensure its long-term sustainability. The Lower Kinabatangan River is a premier wildlife tourism destination that is affected by surrounding land uses and needs careful management to ensure it continues to provide positive wildlife tourism experiences. As little is known about the motivations and satisfaction of tourists with this experience, a visitor survey was conducted along the Lower Kinabatangan River with 346 surveys completed. The attribute 'Interest in viewing wildlife' had the highest mean level of importance and satisfaction (mean = 4.54 and 4.1, respectively, on a 5-point scale). Respondents were very satisfied with their wildlife tour experience (85%) and would recommend the experience to their friends (87%). However, almost half of respondents (47%) felt more needed to be done to protect the Kinabatangan River and wildlife. Although respondents were satisfied overall with their experience, they also expressed concerns over the number of boats and the protection of the River. Comments focused on the presence of rubbish in the River, intrusion of oil palm and the loss of forest. Many issues are beyond the management realms of tour operators but will impact on the future of the industry.
The technical reports present data and its analysis, meta-studies and conceptual studies, and are... more The technical reports present data and its analysis, meta-studies and conceptual studies, and are considered to be of value to industry, government or other researchers. Unlike the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre’s (STCRC’s) Monograph series, these reports have not been subjected to an external peer review process. As such, the scientific accuracy and merit of the research reported here is the responsibility of the authors, who should be contacted for clarification of any content. Author contact details are at the back of this report. The views and opinions of the authors expressed in the reports or by the authors if you contact them do not necessarily state or reflect those of the STCRC. While all reasonable efforts have been made to gather the most current and appropriate information, the STCRC does not give any warranty as to the correctness, completeness or suitability of the information, and disclaims all responsibility for and shall in no event be liable for an...
Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Little is known, howeve... more Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Little is known, however, about its impacts on the wildlife on which it depends. This paper explores, as a rst step in addressing this shortcoming, the perceptions held by tour operators, managers and wildlife scientists regarding the role and purpose of scien-tic research in sustainable wildlife tourism. The study drew on four case studies fromWestern Australia – two managed attractions and their managers and two wild-life tours and their operators – plus interviews with wildlife scientists. Key ndings included a focus by scientists on the conservation biology of threatened species and the ‘scientic method’. The inuences of the ‘scientic community ’ and ‘being a scientist ’ on scientists were also apparent. Managers and operators, on the other hand, focused on the urgency of scientic knowledge for addressing potential impacts. A major challenge to progressing the scientic attention given to the impacts of tou...
This is the author's final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer r... more This is the author's final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer review but without the publisher's layout or pagination.
The SAGE Handbook of Tourism Management: Theories, Concepts and Disciplinary Approaches to Tourism
Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Across the world the nu... more Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors worldwide. Across the world the number of tourists seeking close interaction with wildlife in their natural environment is growing. Understanding the interface between visitors (social) and wildlife (environmental) can make a critical contribution to the sustainability of this industry. This study examined wildlife tours in Australia. Questionnaires were posted to wildlife tour operators in Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory, seeking information on the characteristics of tours, and the place of science and moni-toring in their business. The results illustrate several similarities between wildlife and ecotourism, suggesting the benefits of increasing education and interpretation, both central features of ecotourism, to enhancing the sustainability of wildlife tourism. For tour operators, interactive activities included feeding, swimming with and touching wildlife, and the level of interaction was identifie...
Growth in the wildlife tourism industry has been significant in recent years with an increasing f... more Growth in the wildlife tourism industry has been significant in recent years with an increasing focus on tourism centered on free-ranging wildlife. In Australia tourism based in the marine environment, including observing and interacting with coastal and marine wildlife, is increasing in popularity. The future potential for increased growth in marine tourism is dependent upon the abundance and diversity of Australia’s marine wildlife. Negative impacts of tourism on marine wildlife are difficult to assess as in many cases little is known about the animals or their environment. With the rapid growth in marine tourism the potential for both biophysical and social impacts needs to be recognised. Given the potential impacts and the variable nature of wildlife tourism operations the need arises for a formal auditing and monitoring framework that can identify potential or actual problems and the need for management. This report will examine the opportunities and the barriers in producing a...
Many protected areas, especially national parks, have a dual function of preserving valued resour... more Many protected areas, especially national parks, have a dual function of preserving valued resources and realising the recreational values inherent within the area. The outcome of this duality can be difficult for protected area managers to reconcile when satisfying visitor use experiences threatens other values, especially biodiversity values. Understanding visitor use and its effect on biophysical resources is an important part of effective management. Monitoring of use and its effects, therefore, becomes vital to an adaptive management approach to address this sometimes conflicting management duality. Of concern though is the development and use of indicators to report on the sustainability of visitor use and management in protected areas (McCool & Stankey 2004). While protected area managing agencies in Australia have long been concerned with monitoring visitor impacts and experiences, the efforts have largely been site and activity specific, with no consistent methodological ap...
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Current Issues in Tourism
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Journal of Ecotourism, 2016