Lessons from Scotland: British wildlife tourism demand, product development and destination management

Non-consumptive wildlife tourism can be an under-appreciated facet of a country's domestic tourism portfolio. Yet it is well documented that there has been incremental growth over the last ten years in the range and volume of wildlife tourism worldwide. This fast growth has not just been in terms of numbers of tourists, but also the tourism businesses and NGOs who provide access to wildlife watching opportunities. This paper presents research on the British wildlife tourist and the implications for destination marketers and managers. It reveals an independent wildlife tourism market that combine an interest in wildlife watching with other traditional holiday pursuits such as walking and sightseeing. It particularly highlights the importance of nature reserves, as focal wildlife attractions, and implies the need for a strategic approach to wildlife destination development and management in order to reap the potential economic benefits whilst preventing disturbance to focal species and/or habitats.