International Centre for the Environment (ICE) Seminar

DEFINING MARINE ECOTOURISM: A Delphi Study

Presented by: Dr Brian Garrod
Associate Head, School of Economics,
University of the West of England, Bristol

Tuesday 07 May 2002, 4.30pm

Venue: 6 West 1.2, University of Bath

Refreshments & Prior Discussion in 6 West Common Room at 4pm

PUBLIC WELCOME

The term 'marine ecotourism' evidently means different things to different people. The purpose of this paper is to explore those different perceptions, using the results of a Delphi study involving a panel of experts drawn from three EU Atlantic Area countries.

This study examined participants' perspectives of what the term should be taken to mean in the context of planning and managing marine ecotourism, as well as their opinions on the desirability or otherwise of achieving and applying an agreed definition of marine ecotourism.

The paper begins by outlining the Delphi method and by discussing some of the proposed advantages of the Delphi method as a means of bringing expert opinion to bear on a issue that is highly contested and controversial, such as the meaning of the term 'marine ecotourism'. In doing so, the paper comments on some of the uses to which the method has been put in the tourism planning and management context. The design and implementation of the Delphi method in the present context is then discussed, followed by a presentation of the main findings of the study. This includes a discussion of the content analysis of the panel member's responses to the Delphi questionnaires using QSR N-Vivo.

Most of the preferred definitions emphasised the need for appropriate management to ensure that the quality of the natural environment in which marine ecotourism takes place is not compromised, and the requirement for local people to benefit from ecotourism. The issue of whether or not local people should be encouraged to participate in the planning and management processes was not, however, so clear-cut. Most of the preferred definitions also emphasised the educational component of ecotourism and the need to interpret the natural environment for ecotourists. The majority of the preferred definitions were neither strongly oriented toward description or prescription, suggesting that a balance between ethical considerations and flexibility of application was deemed important. Meanwhile, relatively few of the preferred definitions made explicit reference to related cultural aspects of ecotourism.

The final section of the paper then presents some concluding observations, including the recommendation of a definition of marine ecotourism, based on a synthesis of the expert opinions collected and analysed in this study.

.Towards an Environment Research Agenda

For further information please see our website

Or to suggest future seminar speakers, please contact the ICE Office - 01225 826156