Nature-based tourism and natural resource protection:
The potential for a sustainable symbiotic relationship
B. Bynum Boley, Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Premise of Presentation
Symbiotic relationship between nature-based
tourism and natural resource protection
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Current Problems
 Increasing land conversion away from natural states results in …
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Biodiversity loss (Rockström et al., 2009)
Water and food shortages (Brown, 2009)
Climate Change (Brown, 2009)
Marginalization of an area’s tourism potential (Middleton and Hawkins, 1998)
 “Death of Environmentalism” (Shellenberger and Nordhaus 2004)
 Literal-sclerosis
 Tourism needs quality natural resources to attract visitors and
natural resources need tourism to be properly valued
 *Allies to protect remaining natural areas
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Destination Competitiveness and
Natural Resources
 Ritchie and Crouch (2003) refer to natural resources as the
“foundation of a destination appeal”
 Growing popularity of nature-based tourism (NBT)
 Ecotourism (Ceballos-Lascuráin, 1996)
 Geotourism (Stokes et al. 2003; Boley et al. 2011)
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Destination Competitiveness and
Natural Resources (2)
 Economics theories behind competitiveness provide strong
theoretical support for the importance of natural resources
 Cost leadership vs. differentiation strategy (Porter 1980)
 Commodity areas vs. Status areas (Gilbert 1984, 1990)
 Resource-based view (Barney, 1991)
 NBT has a “long-run justification for the protection, preservation
and enhancement of natural and built resources, including the
protection of biodiversity” Middleton and Hawkins (1998, p. 76)
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Nature-based Tourism and Natural
Resource Protection
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Tourism as an ecosystem service
New Jersey example (New Jersey, 2007)
Lion in Africa example (Nash, 1982)
Markhor hunting permit in Pakistan
Tourism’s economic impact may be enough to change
management decision in favor of land protection
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem Services
Carbon
Sequestration
Agriculture
Flood
Control
$
$
$
Water
Quality
$
$
Natural
Resources
Air Quality
$
Increased Economic Value
Nature-Based
Tourism
$
Pollination
$
Recreation
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Nature-based Tourism and Natural
Resource Protection




Tourism as an ecosystem service
New Jersey example (New Jersey, 2007)
Lion in Africa example (Nash, 1982)
Tourism’s economic impact may be enough to change
management decision in favor of land protection
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Implications
More research is needed on the economic
impact of NBT to natural resource rich areas
More monitoring of tourism’s impact on natural
resources
Increased marketing towards responsible
tourists (ecotourists, geotravelers, etc.)
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Challenges to the Symbiotic Relationship
 Neither a ‘panacea or Pandora's box’ (Krüger, 2005)
 NBT brings travelers to the world’s most sensitive areas (Gössling 1999)
 NBT externalities (Issacs, 2000)
 Wildlife harassment
 Habitat deterioration
 Pollution and waste
 Does not guarantee long-term protection
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Summary
Ecosystem Services
Carbon
Sequestration
Agriculture
Flood
Control
Water
Quality
Increased Economic Value
Air Quality
Natural
Resources
Nature-Based
Tourism
Destination Competitiveness
Pollination
Recreation
Biodiversity
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business
Questions?
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Pamplin College of Business