The influence of the environment on nature-based adventure tourism
- Authors: Giddy, Julia K
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Human ecology , Tourism -- Environmental aspects , Adventure travel
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9296 , vital:26561
- Description: Adventure tourism (AT) is a rapidly growing subsector of the tourism industry. With the recent increase in AT, the nature of the industry is undergoing major changes. Originally a small and relatively specialized sector of tourism, AT is now expanding to include ommercialized and larger scale operations. This creates a need to re-evaluate the AT industry in the context of these new, highly commercialized and often “manufactured” adventure experiences. Although there are many definitions and conceptualizations of what onstitutes AT, it is most often referred to as tourism experiences that involve some element of risk and typically take place in outdoor natural environments. Inherent in the definition of AT is the natural environment, however very little research has focused on the role of the environment in AT. The interaction between humans and the environment is one of the most fundamental relationships of human existence. Within this context, existing research largely focuses on the influence of humans on the environment. However, it is important to also understand how the environment influences human behaviour. This thesis, therefore, seeks to examine the influence of the environment on humans in the AT context. It does so by analyzing three primary aspects of human-environment interaction in AT participation. The first is participants’ ‘value system’including their general perspectives of the environment and previous experience with AT. The second focuses on the relative strength and nature of environmental influences on AT motivations. The final aspect delves into the role of the environment in enhancing AT experiences and satisfaction. These assessments were done by analyzing questionnaires collected from participants in eight commercial AT operations along the Cape South Coast of South Africa. Data was primarily based on responses to statements using a 5 point Likert Scale. The responses were analyzed and discussions utilized results based on descriptive statistics, significance levels based on onesample t-tests, frequency distributions and analysis of variance (ANOVAs) which divided the data based on activity type. In addition Pearson’s Product Moment Correlations were conducted to assess linkages between different components of the thesis. The results that emerged from this thesis show that the environment plays an important role in AT participation. The value system of commercial AT participants demonstrated a level of general experience with AT as well as moderate environmental values. The strength of the environment in the motivations to participate in AT emerged quite substantially. Reflective interactions with nature (i.e. learning about the environment, and appreciating nature’s beauty) were found to be amongst the most significant internal motivation factors for participation. Interestingly, although the vast majority of research focuses on the Risk/Thrill element of AT motivations, it was not found to be an important motivation factor amongst the vast majority of AT participants. The environmental aspects of the destination were found to be, by far, the most significant external motivation factor, implying that the selection of destination for AT participation is largely based on the environment in which the activity takes place. Participants were also found to have strong, positive emotional experiences as a result of AT participation,which were significantly enhanced by the environment in which the activities took place. In addition, as a result of these positive experiences, emotionally and with the environment, participants were highly satisfied with the AT experiences. The culmination of the results discussed above was the development of a modified, empirically-tested framework for human-environment interaction in the AT context. The final framework demonstrated links between various components of human-environment interaction. Strong links were found between motivations, experiences and satisfaction while relatively weak links were found between the value system of participants and their subsequent motivations. The framework was developed for the possibility of applying it to other contexts. The findings in this thesis demonstrate that the environment does, in fact, play an important role in the interaction between humans and the environment in AT. They emphasize the relatively significant influence that the environment has on the motivations and experiences of AT participants.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Clarifying the influence of human-environment interaction in nature-based adventure tourism in the Tsitsikamma, South Africa
- Authors: Giddy, Julia K
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Human ecology -- South Africa -- Tsitsikammaberge , Tourism -- South Africa -- Tsitsikammaberge
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10674 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020782
- Description: Adventure tourism (AT), defined as “a broad spectrum of outdoor touristic activities,often commercialized and involving an interaction with the natural environment away from the participants’ home range and containing elements of risk,” (Hall, 1992, p. 143) is currently one of the fastest growing sub-sectors of the tourism industry (Buckley 2010). Because it has emerged relatively recently as a field of study, a number of scholars have called for ongoing research in the area, see Swarbrooke (2003), Pomfret (2006), Buckley (2010), Rogerson (2007), and Williams & Soutar (2005). Much of this research, to date, has focused on marketing, injury caused by AT participation, environmental impacts, and the broad notion of “risk” associated with AT. The problem is that little of this work has focused on the significance of the environment in adventure tourism – an important element inherent in its definition. Thus, this thesis aims to move beyond a general risk-based analysis of AT, and focus on the role of the environment. This is done through a human-environment interaction approach undertaken in Tsitsikamma Village where five adventure tourist operations are based. The first step in operationalizing this approach was to develop a conceptual framework that integrated adventure tourism into a general framework on humanenvironment interaction. The second step was to use a research instrument which enabled one to examine the influence of the environment on human motivations and adventure tourism experiences, and not only the influence of humans on the environment. The former was accomplished through questionnaires based on external, environmental elements that attract adventure tourists as well as inherent personality traits impel such tourists to participate in AT. The latter, based on interviews and participant perceptions, sought to establish the significance of impacts on the environment as well as initiatives taken by AT companies to minimize environmental damage. The findings show that although risk/thrill does play a role, AT motivations and experiences are complex and multidimensional. The environment does significantly influence both motivations and even more so AT experiences. Furthermore, there are distinct differences between the motivations and experiences of participants in different types of AT activities, indicating that generalizing the industry as whole neglects these significant differences. In terms of influences on the environment, the results show that most AT operators in the Tsitsikamma have some consideration for environmental protection and take some initiatives to minimize environmental damage, though the degree to which this occurs differs significantly. Furthermore, activity participants do not believe that the activities have a strong negative impact on the environment, though the majority acknowledge small impacts. The types of impacts observed by participants vary significantly between companies. This thesis demonstrates the manner in which the two-way relationship between humans and the environment manifests itself in the commercial AT industry. The result is a well-rounded examination of the influence of human-environment interaction on AT participants.
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- Date Issued: 2013