Bücher von Arianna Garzia

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2018 in the subject Tourism - Miscellaneous, grade: 8.00, NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences, course: International Tourism Management, language: English, abstract: Wildlife-based tourism currently represents one of the fastest growing travel sectors, expected to increase by at least 10% annually. The high demand for animal encounters is mostly caused by the soaring number of international tourist arrivals and the search by travellers for new and memorable experiences in contact with nature. Among travellers, millennials have gained particular importance in the tourism industry due to the high frequency of their journeys, the considerable amount of money spent and their quest for authentic and learning experiences while travelling. Therefore, this generation may contribute to the growing request for Wildlife-Tourist Attractions (WTAs) worldwide.Due to the development of WTAs on a global scale, they are increasingly receiving huge criticism from animal welfare advocates because of their exploitation of the animals¿ rights and poor welfare conditions. However, the alarming lack of knowledge about negative visitors¿ impacts on the wildlife and about animal welfare assessment, along with the high percentage of excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, encourage tourists to indulge in wildlife encounters that are highly detrimental.Due to the considerable share of millennials in tourism and the impact of culture on behaviour, only Western millennials have been considered for the purpose of this study. In connection with the aim of this thesis, the three following main research questions have been formulated:RQ1. How important is good animal welfare for Western millennial travellers at WTAs?RQ2. How does knowledge influence the behaviour of Western millennial visitors at WTAs?RQ3. How do positive and negative reviews on TripAdvisor influence Western millennials to visit WTAs?

Wildlife- tourist attractions are becoming increasingly popular among Western millennials, a segment that is continuosly looking for new and memorable experiences. Their development has, however, sparked fierce debates regarding the poor welfare wildlife suffers at many attractions. Organizations argue that spreading knowledge about the topic is fundamental to prevent tourists from visiting harmful venues. Yet, different elements including pleasure of the animal encounter or influences given by other travellers through review sites like TripAdvisor create attitude- behaviour gaps within visitors. Since these aspects may encourage unethical behaviour at wildlife based attractions, understanding the effects of awareness concerning poor animal welfare and its measurement through "The Five Freedoms Approach" is crucial. Thus, this book particularly sheds light on the theories behind the "attitude- behaviour gaps" and on the way knowledge influences the visitors' behaviour at certain animal attractions and online. Based on its content and recommendations, this book should be useful for travellers and organizations protecting animals' rights to work towards more sustainable tourism.