Wildlife Tourists' reactions to not seeing the animal they would like to see – Polar Bear Tourism as a case study

Wildlife Tourism providers continuously need to balance the needs of their customers and how their products affect the environment and wildlife. As products are often based on interactions with wild animals, it is not always... [ view full abstract ]

Wildlife Tourism providers continuously need to balance the needs of their customers and how their products affect the environment and wildlife. As products are often based on interactions with wild animals, it is not always possible to guarantee that the main attraction will be found. In my study, using Polar Bear Tourism as an example, the focus is on Wildlife Tourist’s attitudes towards the uncertainty surrounding wildlife watching experiences, as well as their reactions when not being able to see the animal they would like to see. To gather in-depth information about visitors’ opinions on unpredictable wildlife, and how not encountering polar bears affect their overall experiences, content analysis has been utilized. 926 Tripadvisor reviews about Polar Bear Tourism Experiences in Svalbard (Norway), Manitoba (Canada), Wrangel Island (Russia) and Alaska (the US) have been collected. Initial analyze provided 71 reviews that are reactions from customers that did not see (enough) polar bears, as well as 77 reviews that comment on the unpredictable nature of wildlife. Initial results show that it is possible for customers to enjoy their wildlife experience, even if they do not encounter the animal they would like to see, in this case the polar bear. Factors such as staff behavior, signs of polar bears in the area and encounters with other wildlife can often improve the experience. Furthermore, 56 reviews comment on the importance of respecting the animals, and environmental concerns are expressed in 29 reviews. These reviews indicate that while encountering wildlife is important to most customers, many of them are also environmentally conscious and prefer environmentally friendly tour operators. Further analysis of these reviews, as well as content analysis of the companies that offer Polar Bear Tourism in my case areas’ websites will provide insight on how Wildlife Tourism operators can manage customers’ expectations, and improve customers’ experiences in cases when the desired animal cannot be seen.