Introduction:

This research is conducted in collaboration with the North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT). In

recent years applications for funding and grants needed to support NWWT’s ongoing

conservation work have become increasingly difficult to secure from both the government

and private organisations. Therefore, alternative methods of generating income for NWWT

need to be explored. With As North Wales having an abundance of natural assets including

wildlife and an established tourism market, it makes sense for NWWT to utilise these existing

assets to generate their needed required income through wildlife tourism. NWWT currently

protect, maintain and restore 720 hectares of land across 34 reserves, they rely heavily on grants

and donations to carry out this work, and are currently only generating small amounts of revenue

independently. It is with this view that this research will focus on understanding social and

economic behaviours of local wildlife tourists, and the potential of visitors at NWWT reserves to

generate income for the Trust. This will be achieved through quantitative and qualitative methods

including surveys and semi-structured interviews. Semi structured interviews will be undertaken

with staff from NWWT to gain a better understanding of their views as a stakeholder within the

tourism industry. A survey with a local wildlife attraction will also be used to quantify visitor

information such as demographics, motivations, and average spend at wildlife sites and attractions.

This knowledge will then be used to create a ‘profile’ of wildlife tourists that visit the North Wales

area, and will subsequently discussed and evaluated to determine the implications it may have for

NWWT.

Good opening paragraph – just be a bit more specific about what this piece of research intends to

explore along with your aims and objectives

Wildlife tourism is usually considered to be a branch of nature tourism and eco-tourism.

Nature tourism can be defined as being the viewing of nature, mainly the observation and/or

study of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of the environment (Newsome et

al,. 2005). Wildlife tourism is specifically concerned with viewing or encountering wildlife in a

1

range of settings, including captive, semi-captive, and wild. Additionally, wildlife tourism

can be split into two categories (Higginbottom, k. 2004):

Consumptive:

Fishing

Hunting

Non-Consumptive:

Viewing

Photography

Feeding

It is important to note that many literature sources do not specifically refer to ‘wildlife

tourism’, but rather use terms such as eco-tourism, rural tourism and nature-tourism which

often cover (aspects of) wildlife tourism, which is considered by many as a branch of

eco/nature tourism. The research carried out in this dissertation is mainly concerned with

non-consumptive wildlife tourism as defined by Higginbottom (2004), and is done in

collaboration with the North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT). There are 47 Wildlife trusts across

the UK,UK; each trust is an independent autonomous charity, whose prime concern is the

conservation of nature within its local area. All the wildlife trusts are part of the Royal

Society of Wildlife Trusts, who are a charity in their own right, but operate as an umbrella

body for the 47 wildlife trusts. The NWWT was founded in 1963, it currently maintains and

cares for approximately 34 nature reserves (across 6 branches) totalling around 720 hectares

of land. The NWWT’s focus is conserving habitats and species throughout the region,

through engaging people with their environment. It is becoming increasingly hard for

organisations such as NWWT to generate the funds needed to carry out their work. Many

governments around the world are finding the justification of public expenditure on parks

and reserves increasingly problematic. As providing financial support to such sites is seen

to only benefit one segment of the population – the visitors. Therefore, it is becoming more

important for parks and reserves to become self-sufficient and generate their own revenue

through new strategies. This itselfin itself presents new challenges as there is statistical

2

evidence between total direct income and number of visitors at reserves (Tye(Tye &

Gordon,1995, 1995). Sites which have more visitors are better financed, this is a self

perpetuating loop; as better financed reserves are better managed, and therefore attract

more visitors. Research is therefore needed to understand the wildlife tourism industry in

North Wales in order for organisations to independently generate much needed revenue.

Findings of this research will have implications for how NWWT themselves can create their own

income.

The approach being adopted will have implications for y in North Wales

Why it is being researched, is useful and any limitations

The structure of the dissertation

Some context may be included- be brief

Your intro gives a good overview briefand any limitationsn North Wales in

orderthis project and your research aims as above

And guide us through the research as a whole – you can do this at the

end perhaps

Literature Review

In order to set the context of this research I will firstly look into literature about the wider

tourism industry in Great Britain, then more specifically into wildlife tourism. Both national

and international markets within wildlife tourism will be explored, paying close attention to

economic and social topics.

To understand how wildlife tourists can generate income for organisations such as NWWT, it is

important to know who wildlife tourists are in terms of their demographics, views and behaviours.

Comprehension of tourist expectations, motivations, and behaviours (such as patterns of spending)

3

is fundamental to organisations which are seeking to gain revenue from the wildlife tourism industry.

Once these factors are fully understood they can be utilised by organisations to create products

which are best suited to their target market, creating the potential for large economic opportunities

and rewards. This in turn will ensure the continual development and growth of the wildlife tourism

industry. In turn, people, wildlife, and the environment should experience an increase in the

associated benefits of having a thriving wildlife tourism industry. Link to the research question

Overview of the Tourism Industry in Great Britain

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published several reports on the economic value

of the tourism industry. The most recently available figures are for 2011. In Summary, 120.8

billion pounds was spent by tourists in the UK: of which 43% was spent by UK residents on

excursions without an overnight stay, 20% was spent by UK residents enjoying an excursion

followed by 1 night’s stay, 17% was spent by overseas residents on trips to the UK, and the

remaining 20% was spent by UK residents going on overseas trips.

Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (GVA) is a measure of the amount of ‘output’ from

industries that serve the tourism sector which is accounted for by expenditure and

consumption by tourists. The tourism directive GVA for the UK increased by 8% between

2008 and 2011 .Transport and travel services generated the most output within the UK,

followed by food and beverage services, and sports and recreational services. Tourism

Direct GVA also increased in the accommodation sector between 2008 and 2011, this was

largely due to the increase in popularity of the ‘staycation’ where people spend holidays

within the UK rather than abroad. In a report by the ONS (2014); Wales in 2011 ranked first in

2011 t in Tourism Direct GVA ratios (dividing the total demand by total supply in each

region), this shows that tourism is of strong economic importance in this region.

Additionally, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy and Denbighshire where listed among the top 15

4

most important tourism industries nationally (as well as others such as Blackpool and

Cornwall).

During 2011 Wales attracted 879,000 international visitors spending £328 million. The

Republic of Ireland, France, Germany and USA were the four top generating countries for

overseas tourism in Wales. Of these, 42% of International visitors were on a holiday trip, 36%

were visiting friends or relatives and 16% were on business during 2011. In total there were

approximately 10.6 million overnight visitors to Wales spending nearly £ 2.1 billion.

International and National Wildlife Tourism

Internationally there are several countries which are at the forefront of nature tourism/eco-

tourism; Australia, Costa Rica, Tanzania, South Africa and New Zealand (Eagles, 2002). It can

be assumed that this largely due to the presence of large charismatic species, and the

correct infrastructure and management strategies needed to support a growing industry.

Eagles (2002) suggest that the success of wildlife tourism in these countries is down to

influential government policies amongst both the public and private sectors. These policies

foster the development of nature-based tourism through the provision of frameworks and

policies. This has led to increase international visitations to these countries, and the parks

and reserves in these countries. Furthermore, it appears that nature-tourism has created a

circular phenomenon where increased visitation and education has led to the desire for more

parks and reserves, and thus more visitation and education.

On a national scale Scotland is perceived as being a premier wildlife tourism destination

within the United Kingdom, this mainly because it differentiates itself apart from other

destinations through its unique landscapes and species. Habitats which can be seen in

Scotland include mountains, lakes, forests, lochs, lowland moors, coastlines, offshore

islands, bogs and heaths. Charismatic species found in Scotland include cetaceans, seals,

otters, deer, birds of prey such as the osprey, seabirds, inland birds, wading birds and

5

ground nesting birds(birds (Curtin, 2013). There are other destinations within the UK which

provide both unique habitats and species such as Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Wales however

they are not well marketed to the consumer, so receive less interest by international and

domestic visitors (ICRT,2010).

Wildlife Tourism in Wales

The Welsh Government publishes annual social research reports on behalf of Visit Wales;

Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales 2012 and Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales 2013.

These reports outline statistics on different attraction categories for 2013, 2012 and 2011.

There are two categories which could potentially fall under wildlife tourism; “country park,

garden, other natural” (CP) and “wildlife attraction” (WL).

2013 2012 2011

Country park, garden, other natural 2,888,432 3,544,959 4,970,812

Wildlife attraction 684,526 297,393 824,504

Total (p/a)= 3,572,958 3,842,352 5,795,316

Table 1

6

2013 2012 20110

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Country park, garden, other natural

Wildlife attraction

The graph is clearer than the table – make sure you label it and refer to it in the text

A Quarterly review of visitor numbers to these two categories indicates that the periods

April-June and July-September have the most significant number of visitors compared to the

rest of the year. This coincides with the start of the British summer and school holidays.

Simple calculations show the average footfall for these ‘nature attractions’ (over six years)

has been estimated at 4,093,198 visits. If the data from 2011 is removed due its ‘extreme’

values a more representative average can be calculated; this is considered to be 3,752,774

visits per annum. Furthermore, the percentage difference from the average can be calculated

(see table below) this gives insight into the ‘performance’ of a given year compared to the

average.

Type 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

Country park,

garden, other

natural

2,888,43

2

3,544,95

9

4,970,81

2

3,373,27

1

3,611,37

1

3,327,09

5

Wildlife attraction 684,526 297,393 824,504 333,261 265,740 437,824

Total (p/a)=

3,572,95

83,842,35

2

5,795,31

6

3,706,53

2

3,877,11

1

3,764,91

9

incl.2011 ~-13% ~-6% ~+42% ~-9% ~-5% ~-8%

7

2013 2012 20110

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

Country park, garden, other natural

Wildlife attraction

Graph 1

excl. 2011 ~-5% ~+2% ~+54% ~-2% ~+2% ~+0.5%

Table 2

The Visits to Tourist Attractions in Wales 2012 and 2013 list five nature reserves under CP.

Nnature reserves within Wales had a total of 171,519 visits In 2012 which accounts for just

over 4.5% of potential ‘wildlife tourism’, and 173,830 visits in 2013 accounting 4.6% of wildlife

tourism.

However this is a very small sample and is therefore unlikely to be representative of national

visits to reserves. The data from this report shows that Wales has a substantial demand for

nature/wildlife based tourism, it also shows that functional capacity of attractions is high.

Name of Reserve Hectares 2013 2012 2011

Conwy Nature

Reserve

TBC 76,649 72,837 88,996

Dingle Local

Nature Reserve

10 68,256 58,410 51,238

Gilfach Nature

Reserve & Visitor

Centre

165 1,982 1,786 N/A

Kenfig Nature

Reserve

700 12,165 20,877 24,002

RSPB Lake

Vyrnwy Nature

Reserve

TBC 14,778 17,609 N/A

Total(p/a)= 173,830 171,519

8

Table 3

Wildlife tourism as part of Welsh economy

Wildlife is part of the environment, and the environment with all its natural resources

contributes significantly to economies. A study conducted by the Countryside Council for

Wales and the National Trust in 2001 estimated that the environment contributes 9% of total

welsh GDP, supplying approximately £8.8 billion worth of goods and services. Additionally,

the environment accounted for 1 in 6 jobs in Wales equating to £1.8 billion in wages. The

value of wildlife-based activity to the Welsh economy was investigated by the Environment

Agency Wales (2007), and the final report found that there was a total output of £1,936 million

with a direct output value of £1,426 million. The report suggested that most of the output is

linked to conservation management, hospitality, retail and agricultural activities. Although

many of these have an economically important role in terms of the potential for ‘growth’ in

wildlife-related economic activity, it is most likely the wildlife tourism sector that plays the

largest role. Increased development of the wildlife tourism sector could have considerable

‘knock-on’ benefits, including increases in conservation activity and local employment,

particularly if it occurs in conjunction with investment in the protection and management of

Wales’ natural (and wildlife) resources.

Wildlife Tourism as a Growing Market

There is compelling evidence that there is incremental growth within the nature tourism

sector. The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO, 2006) places this growth as being up to

20% per annum. Other literatures such as Curtin (2013) place this figure closer to 10%. This

growth is likely to be related to our increased awareness of environmental issues buffered

by increased coverage by the media. As our populations become more urbanised and

9

people’s relationship with nature becomes more diminished they are actively seeking trips

that put them back in touch with nature and wildlife. This has also led to a growing interest

in wildlife conservation and subsidiary activities such as gardening and wildlife photography

(Curtin, 2013). Anticipated growth in this market will require a strategic approach to its

management. Tourism managers need to consider what wildlife tourism is, who wildlife

tourists are and how different destinations can accommodate them. Although wildlife-related

activities may not be the sole purpose of a visit it provides a unique selling point for

attracting potential visitors .Effective management of this sector could potentially enhance

the existing domestic and international tourism product, as well as allow destinations to

differentiate themselves from others.

Harnessing the potential of wildlife tourism in North Wales

The success of a nature-based tourist location is dependent on two main factors; the quality

of the environment and the level of consumer service. Eagles (2002) suggest characteristics

which are important in driving this type of tourism includes; unique flora and fauna, diverse

natural features, and a diverse cultural heritage. Similarly, the ICRT (2010) believe the

successful development of the wildlife tourism industry in a particular area come down to a

few key points:

A variety of landscapes and habitats must be present and accessible

A diversity of wildlife species over the four seasons is paramount , with one or more

charismatic species being present all of or part of the year

A need for a few key sites with facilities, to attract the more casual wildlife viewer

such as young families

The need for public and private sectors to form partnerships to provide ancillary

services to tourists and day visitors

10

A management approach to future development that engages the public with wildlife

conservation

In addition to the above points a more business-like approach needs to be considered; a full

understanding of areas such as customer profile and expectations, product development,

supply and demand, management and marketing strategies will harness the potential of

wildlife tourism. In order for wildlife and environmental organisations to take a business-like

approach to their operations they need to fully understand their market and product. A key

figure for decision making in businesses is product volume, it is therefore essential that data

is thoroughly and effectively gathered. If this is done correctly then the product can be sold

in the right volumes at the right time to the right market; capitalising on potential income. In

order to achieve this many organisations including those centred around reserves and parks

may need to completely change their management structure; by moving away from a

government agency structure where there is a hierarchical form of decisions making to a

more parastatal management structure. Parastatals function like corporations within

government. This allows them to retain revenue from fees and licences, retain any budget

surplus at the end of the fiscal year, enforce pricing policies which better reflect the cost of

production, and allow for more flexible arrangements with corporate and non-profit entities

outside the government (Eagles, 2002).

Understanding the wildlife tourist profile and expectations

Before the development of a marketing programme aimed at consumers such as wildlife

tourists can be established. Wildlife tourism organisations should understand the typical

customer in that market –who are wildlife tourists? A profile should identify those

characteristics that explain the similarities and differences among consumers within every

segment; this can include demographic and psychographic variables (Taylor et al, 2013).

Understanding the consumer and different market segmentations should assist wildlife

11

tourism organisations in marketing their products and packages. Furthermore, to be able to

deliver to the customer and gain a competitive advantage organisations must understand

their customer expectations – what do they want? These two questions can only be achieved

through research using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Tourist Motivation

Consumers such as tourists generally make a decision to purchase a product either because

they ‘need’ it or because they ‘want’ it. It is therefore crucial to make a distinction between

the two; a need can be described as something simple that is essential for survival such as

food, drink, and shelter. Alternatively, a need can be more complicated especially when

considering psychological needs such as the need for affection, recognition, respect and

self esteem (Holloway, 2004). A want is something that is not essential to survival but can be

described as a luxury which can aid in satisfying certain impulses and our self esteem. The

two are not mutually exclusive; Maslow’s Hierarchy (Johnson and Thomas, 1994; Holloway,

2004) can help in understanding tourist motivations. His model theorises that there are

different categories of needs, and that people must satisfy more basic needs before an

arousal occurs to satisfy higher level needs. The hierarchy consists of five levels, at the

bottom the most basic level ‘psychological needs’ must first be satisfied before an individual

can move on to the next levels which become more complex further up the hierarchy; ‘safety

needs’, ‘social needs’, ‘ego needs’, and finally ‘self-actualisation’. Following the work of

Maslow more recent models of tourist/travel motivation have been conceptualised by

Pearce; travel career ladder (TCL) and travel career patterns (TCP). The TCL theory is similar

to Maslow’s hierarchy and consists of five different levels organised on a ‘ladder’; relaxation

needs, safety needs, relationship needs, self-esteem needs and self-actualisation/ fulfilment

12

needs which people feel the urge to satisfy. Pearce in 1988 theorises in his book The Ulysses

Factor, that individuals have a travel career and that their motives change according to their

life stage and accumulated travel experiences; some people will ascend the ladder whilst

others may remain at a particular level (Woodside, 2008; Ryan, 1998). Although tourist travel

motivation is a complex and multidimensional construct, understanding tourists’ needs and

wants is important when formulating an effective and efficient marketing plan. Furthermore,

it can have important implications for the management and development of the tourism

industry, especially in the areas of product/service planning, marketing communication and

visitor attraction and retention. Understanding tourist motivation is key to creating a

successful and sustainable wildlife tourism product that can provide social and economic

benefits which can have a positive impact on tourists, locals, wildlife and the environment.

Public willingness to pay for ecosystem services

An ecosystem is the interaction of living organisms and their environment including non-

living components such as air and water. In order to support human life; mankind must

utilise aspects of ecosystems such as water, food and medicines (Holden 2011). Boyd and

Banzhaf (2006) define ecosystem services as “components of nature, directly enjoyed,

consumed, or used to yield human well-being.” As human well-being relies so heavily on

ecosystem services; continuing to use them unsustainably would have negative

consequences for the future. Maintaining and restoring ecosystems and their services is

essential to sustainable economic growth (such as that of the nature tourism industry) and

general human well-being. However, such maintenance and restoration of the natural

environment is costly and it therefore logical that the consumers of these goods and

services, such as tourists at reserves and parks should contribute to its upkeep.

Traditionally government funding has provided the revenue for National parks and reserves

to carry out restoration and maintenance. With a decrease in government funding for

13

National parks and reserves; it is becoming increasingly important for organisations such as

NWWT to become ‘self-funded’, and seek revenue from the tourism industry, sale of

proceeds and external grants (White and Lovett, 1999). With tourists being a primary

‘consumer’ of national parks and reserves many management bodies are looking into

creating additional income by introducing recreational levies. This may cause some

considerable resistance from the public, as access to such areas in the UK has historically

been free. It is therefore important that the public are involved in future decision-making

within the environmental sector, especially when they may be required to pay for natural

resources used for recreational purposes. Such consultation with the public is important in

accessing willingness and preference of payment, in order to secure the future of

conservation. White and Lovett (1999) conducted a study about public willingness to pay in

the North York Moors National Park and found that highly valued habitats by visitors to the

Park were heather moorland and semi-natural broadleaved woodland, moorland primarily for

recreation and woodland primarily for nature conservation. Contingent valuation revealed

that whilst some people thought that increased revenue for the National Park should be

raised by the Park itself by making more productive use of the land, 97.9% of visitors said

they would be prepared to contribute 50p additional revenue towards annual maintenance in

the 11 National Parks for nature conservation. This proportion of people willing to pay

considerably dropped when the payment amount was increased and only 36.5% of visitors

said they would be willing to pay £200 per annum. This study shows that the majority of

people are willing to pay for the maintenance of reserves and parks which they use for

recreational purposes, and that the challenge would be in agreeing and implementing a price

for such goods and services. Organisations involved with the provision of ecosystem

services would need to understand the market to be able to come up with an appropriate

price value, and the public would need to be thoroughly consulted through the process of

any changes.

14

Benefits of Wildlife Tourism Industry

A growing wildlife tourism industry can have many benefits to people, wildlife and their

habitats (Curtin, 2008). Benefits include financial contribution which can aid conservation

work, socio-economic incentives, education, and psychological benefits from wildlife-human

interactions. Wildlife-based tourism activities can promote conservation values. For

example, first hand encounters with animals can create human empathy for them and make

individuals more willing to support their protection (Wilson and Tisdell, 2001). Additionally,

Bird (2007) suggests that watching wildlife can have a positive cognitive affect; such as

increasing knowledge and awareness, curiosity, pleasure, as well as a sense of privilege and

amazement which can all contribute to a positive mood over a long period of time. There are

potential economic benefits of wildlife tourism; revenue generated from wildlife tourism can

be reinvested into research and conservation ensuring the presence of wildlife and their

habitats in the future. The local economy can reap the benefits of a thriving wildlife tourism

industry; having a steady influx of wildlife enthusiasts can have positive impacts on local

businesses, especially those within the hospitality sector. With the wildlife tourism industry

growing at 10-20% per annum it should be able to support; (1) the continual growth, development,

and diversification of new products. (2) More employment opportunities. (3) Increase the use of

sustainable alternatives to mass tourism. (4) Justification and use of protected areas (MacLellan,

1999; ICRT, 2010).

Impacts of Wildlife Tourism Industry

Although wildlife tourism can be beneficial to both people and the environment (as seen above)

there are many impacts associated with the activities surrounding the industry. Habitats and species

can be negatively impacted from the mere presence of humans; and these impacts are often site

and species specific. Anthropogenic activities can disrupt certain animal behaviours such as

foraging and feeding young, disturbance of parental behaviours, habitat alteration and food

15

provisioning. It is easy to see that wildlife tourism activities have the potential to destroy the

foundation of the industry itself. Therefore, it is essential that the industry is appropriately and

sustainably managed to reap the benefits related with the industry whilst mitigating any potential

impacts. To achieve this the following would need to be influenced; the amount and type of visitor

use, the location of visitor use, and visitor behaviour. As Curtin (2013) observes a great amount of

strategic thinking and decision making from key stakeholders would be needed within the tourism

industry, along with a thorough understanding of consumer motivation, expectations, and

behaviours .

The Marketing mix

As previously stated, understanding tourist motivation at a local level is highly important in

the creation of products and packages, and how they are marketed to the consumer. In the

case of tourism it is unusual that one product will suit all consumers, it is therefore

important for stakeholders within the wildlife tourism industry to ensure that the optimal

marketing mix is achieved for their products. The marketing mix is defined by Kotler and

Armstrong (1994) as “the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to

produce the response it wants in the target market”. There are four main elements to

consider in the marketing mix known as the ‘4 Ps’; product, price, promotion and place.

Organisations should integrate these elements in order to maximise the impact of their

product and services on the customers, and to increase customers’ satisfaction (Analoui

and Karami, 2003). The product is what is actually delivered to the consumer and can be

both tangible and intangible. NWWT products include their reserves which encompass a range of

16

habitats and wildlife, as well as activities which are run by their staff such as guided walks and

educational talks. Price refers to the amount of money which is paid by the consumer for

goods and services (such as ecosystem services provided by national parks and reserves),

this could include the price of membership at NWWT, or entrance fees to events and sites run by

NWWT; it can often impact on the decision of the consumer to buy the goods and services

on offer, and the consumer is usually looking to obtain the best value for money between a

range of competitive products. Place represents the point of sale and where it can be

delivered through distribution channels to the consumer, NWWT’s distribution channels are

their website and office branches. Promotion is considered at the avenues of communication

between the seller and potential customer, or rather how the consumer is persuaded to buy

the goods and services. As described above the marketing mix is consumer orientated, and

as a result Kotler et al (1999) proposed that the Four P’s should become the Four C’s to reflect

this; customer value, cost, convenience and communication. Customer value means the

perceived benefits provided to meet the needs and wants, quality of service received and the

value for money delivered assessed against the competition. Cost is the consumer-focused

equivalent to price which is a supply-side decision; this is also assessed against the

competition. Convenience refers to the ease of consumer access to the products they buy.

Communication refers to all avenues of dialogue between the producer and customer not

just sales persuasion (Fyall and Garrod, 2005). Regardless of whether an organisation uses

the 4 Ps or 4 Cs as their marketing tool it is clear that achieving a balance between the four

elements is key to effective marketing, and critical in gaining a competitive edge in the

market place, this can be illustrated using Bowman’s Strategy Clock (see figure 1).

Bowman’s Strategy Clock

As the tourism market is a customer focused industry

with a great amount of competitors it is important

nature tourism businesses and organisations to

consider its strategic position within the market.

17

Figure 1

Bowman’s Strategy Clock outlines eight competitive positions which business can take to

differentiate themselves from competitors in the marketplace. Two key factors in a business’

position on the clock is the perceived value of the product to the consumer, and the price of

the product. Businesses risk losing their market share if the perceived value to the customer

is low and the price of the product is too high. Therefore, many business’ strategic position

lie between one and five on Bowman’s strategy clock, allowing sufficient differentiation in

product and price to gain a competitive edge in the market place. Lovett (1999) saw a

correlation in people’s willingness to pay for access to national parks and price; with the proportion

of people willing to pay reducing with increasing price. For NWWT to gain a substantial market

share of the wildlife tourism industry it would be in their interest to place themselves between two

and five on the clock. At these positions the perceived value of the product to the consumer is high

while the price is kept low. These strategies will ensure a loyal customer base with high return

visitations.

Porter’s five forces

Porter’s five forces was created to understand the attractiveness and potential profitability of

an industry through understanding competitive forces which may act on it. Michael Porter

18

suggested that nature and intensity of competition within an industry was a result of

interactions between five key forces (Wilson and Gilligan, 2012):

1. Threat of new entrants

2. The power of buyers

3. The threat of substitutes

4. The extent of competitive rivalry

5. The power of suppliers

Porter’s model suggests that the stronger the force,

the more limiting it is to an organisation. A strong

competitive force can be regarded as a threat

because it restricts profits, while a weak competitive

force is seen as an opportunity (Hill, C and Jones,

2011). An attractive industry will have little

competitive rivalry, few threats of substitutes and

new entrants, and low bargaining power amongst

buyers and suppliers. An unattractive industry will

have a high amount of competitive rivalry,

substantial and continual threats from substitutes and new entrants, and suppliers and

buyers will hold a high bargaining power (Schermerhorn, 2009).If an organisation can

understand the forces which act on them they can develop a business-like strategy to reduce

their vulnerability or take advantage of the market place (Ahlstrom, D and Bruton,G,2009).

Strategies which can be implemented include; a differentiation strategy, a cost leadership

strategy, and a focused strategy. A differentiation strategy offers a product that is unique

and different to the competition. A cost leadership strategy seeks to gain a competitive

advantage by offering a product that operates at lower costs. A focused strategy aims at

19

Figure 2

offering a product to a specific market segment, with the objective of serving its needs better

than any other product on the market (Schermerhorn, 2009). A focused strategy can take two

forms; focused differentiation strategy and focused cost leadership strategy, the former

offering a specialised product to a specific market segment, the latter offering a low cost

product to a specific market segment. The wildlife tourism industry in North Wales could be

considered to be a very attractive industry as it small but growing up to 20% ,as stated by

the UNTWO (2006) and Curtin (2013). There is little competition in the local area, competition

mostly comes from places such as Scotland and Yorkshire, therefore limiting the power of

buyers. There are few business that operate in specifically or exclusively in wildlife tourism ,

and therefore competitive rivalry is low. This could possibly allow for threat of substitutes

and new entrants to be problem, this would not be an initial problem but would potentially

occur after the establishment of wildlife tourism industry in the local area. Wildlife tourism

operators would need to adapt a strategy that suits their product, and be adaptive to changes

in the market to stay ahead of the competition and be successful in the future.

20

Methodology

As tThe objective of this research is to gather information on tourist profiles, motivations, and

economic expendituretourist social and economic behaviours during their visit, two approaches

will be used, with the view of accessing who wildlife tourists are and whether they would be willing

to pay for access to nature, such as on a NWWT reserve. In order to evaluate the social and

economic benefits of non-consumptive Wildlife Tourism within North Wales, two approaches will be

used. Firstly a survey will be undertaken to get an insight into the amount and type of people that

visit wildlife sites and attractions locally, as well as how much they spend during their visit and on

what.a semi structured interview will be done in order to gain a better understanding of NWWTs

views on the tourism industry within the area. Secondly, a semi structured interview will be done in

order to gain a better understanding of NWWTs views on the tourism industry within the area. a

survey will be undertaken to get an insight into the amount and type of people that visit wildlife sites

and attractions locally, as well as how much they spend during their visit and on what.By using two

approaches it is thought that the data gathered will be able to answer the research question using

different perspectives and information, and therefore subsequent findings will be more

representative than when using one approach.

Quantitative on site survey: Anglesey Sea Zoo

21

Quantitative research allows for data to be collected and then analysed statically. It can be

described as descriptive research used to gather factual information about what is happening in the

marketplace, when it’s happening, where it’s happening, how it’s happening and to whom

(Holloway, 2004). The emphasis of this research is on the sample size, representiveness of the

sample, and the answers of the respondents (Callingham, 2004). Quantitative research is good at

describing differences between respondents. However, the rigidity of the questions asked, means

this research method is unable to describe why these differences have occurred.

A survey composed of close-ended questions will be undertaken at Anglesey Sea Zoo to gather

numerical data from a sample population of wildlife tourists. Convenience sampling will be used in

order to gain the highest amount of respondents possible. Convenience sampling is a non-random

technique based on the judgement of the researcher, where a sample of the population is chosen

as they are readily available, nearby, or willing to participate (Black, 2011). In order to achieve the

sample size, collection of the survey participants will be undertaken at the entrance to the sites

inviting people to participate. This sampling technique is chosen due to cost and time restraints of

this research. The survey will consist of 12 questions which will be asked face-to-face with interview

time lasting approximately 3 minutes, the questions collect information on visitor demographics,

spending patterns, and categorical information about their wildlife experiences/views (full details of

the questionnaire can be seen in the appendix I).

Anglesey sea zoo is a wildlife attraction, and therefore the data which will be collected could be

considered biased as it may only collect data from a sample of the population that has visited the

attraction, and by default a segment of the population that is already interested in wildlife. However,

the information collected at this location will give insight into the existing wildlife tourist clientele in

the local and surrounding area.

22

Qualitative semi-structured interview Questionnaire with Rob Booth and Nia Jones from

NWWT

Qualitative research focuses on the collection and interpretation of words rather than

numbers. Researchers using qualitative methods often become much more engaged with

their informants than with quantitative methods. This method is particularly useful in

understanding people’s patterns of behaviour, experiences and feelings (Holloway, 2004).

Benefits of qualitative research include flexibility and responsiveness to changing conditions in the

study area. It is particularly effective during interviews where open ended questions are used, as it

allows for the interviewer to adapt their questions in response to answers given by the interviewee

allowing for a more in-depth interview and richer findings (Callingham, 2004). Disadvantages of

qualitative research include the lack of ‘scientific methods’ which in turn often leads to the findings

of qualitative research being questioned and critiqued. However the nature of qualitative research

is appropriate when trying to understand different perspectives and opinions of a small sample size,

such as those within the wildlife tourism industry. Therefore, qualitative research and the way it

accesses views of the target population is often the catalyst for more in depth and representative

studies being carried out.

In order to gain a stakeholder perspective of Wildlife Tourism within North Wales, a semi

structured interviews will be undertaken with Rob Booth the Living Landscapes officer, and Nia

Jones the Marine Awareness officer. The NWWT website states “Rob works in partnership with

a wide range of stakeholders to develop the Trust’s work with Living Landscapes. In

particular he oversees and co-ordinates the management of Trust nature reserves (including

Gwaith Powdwr) and develops the role of Trust nature reserves in Conwy and Gwynedd as

key components of an ecological network. He aims to encourage community members local

to our nature reserves to become supporters of the Wildlife Trust”. Nia Jones’ role is

described as “Nia increases local community awareness, understanding and involvement in

23

marine conservation issues. She does this through articles and interviews to support various

publicity campaigns; promoting community involvement in the delivery of marine and coastal Local

Biodiversity Action Plans; creating public support for national campaigns such as WT’s Marine Bill

Campaign, and Marine Week; assisting in the development of awareness and education resources;

managing and co-ordinating volunteers and volunteer projects; and preparing applications for

funding/grants”. Although it would be better to interview senior representatives of NWWT as their

perspectives would carry more weight; Rob’s and Nia’s interviews should reflect the different roles

they play in their respective fields of terrestrial and marine ecology/conservation, producing different

but complimentary data. The aim of both interviews is to gain insight into the views and professional

opinions of key staff at NWWT in regards to the wildlife tourism industry in North Wales. Open

ended questions will be used to gain this information, allowing for a broader context of

discussion. The questions are seen below:

1. How would you describe the typical visitor to your site/event?

2. What do you think is a strong motivator for their visit?

3. Do you think the public would be willing to pay for access to your sites? If so how would you

implement/collect? Could you see any resultant drawbacks/benefits of charging visitors?

4. Could you describe how you view the wildlife tourism industry in North Wales (Strengths/

Opportunities, and Threats/Weaknesses):

5. What in your opinion is the key to securing the future of a healthy wildlife tourism industry in

North Wales?

Quantitative on site survey: Anglesey Sea Zoo

Quantitative research allows for data to be collected and then analysed statically. It can be

described as descriptive research used to gather factual information about what is

happening in the marketplace, when it’s happening, where it’s happening, how it’s

happening and to whom (Holloway, 2004). The emphasis of this research is on the sample

24

size, representiveness of the sample, and the answers of the respondents (Callingham,

2004). Quantitative research is good at describing differences between respondents.

However, the rigidity of the questions asked, means this research method is unable to

describe why these differences have occurred.

A survey will be undertaken at Anglesey to gather numerical data from a sample population.

Convenience used in order to gain the .

Convenience sampling is a non-random technique based on the judgement of the

researcher, where a sample of the population is chosen as they are readily available, nearby,

or willing to participate. In order to achieve the sample size, collection of the survey

participants will be undertaken at the entrance to the sites inviting people to participate.

This sampling technique is chosen due to cost and time restraints of this research. The

survey will consist of 12 questions which will be asked face-to-face with interview time

lasting approximately 3 minutes

Anglesey sea zoo is a wildlife attraction, and therefore data collected here could be

considered biased as it only collects data from a sample of the population that has visited

the attraction, and by default are already interested in wildlife. However, the information

collected at this location gives insight into the existing wildlife tourist clientele in the local

and surrounding area.

25

Results

Quantitative Questionnaire at Anglesey Sea zoo:

The survey was carried out on the 17th of August 2014 at Anglesey Sea Zoo. 20 questionnaires

were printed, one of which was given to the Manager. After a short discussion with one of the staff it

was decided that the best place to survey the visitors would be the foyer just before the gift shop

and cafe, approximately half way round the site. A this point convenience sampling was used , and

passing visitors were asked if they would be interested in sparing 3 minutes of their time to answer

questions about wildlife tourism. It is important to note that people visited Anglesey Sea Zoo in

groups, and therefore one person filled out the questionnaire through consultation and on behalf of

the rest of the group. 19 questionnaires were successfully completed, this represents the views of

19 groups (respondents), in total information was gathered on the individuals within the groups,

representing the experiences and views of 64 people.

26

10

2

4

6

8

10

How Many People are there in your Party

People per Group

Res

po

nse

s

Most visitors at Anglesey Sea Zoo were part of a group, findings show that 100% of respondents (19) travelled in groups, approximately 82% travelled in groups consisting of between three and five people. Within the 19 groups there were a total of 64 individuals.

<3 4-8yrs 9-13yrs 14-17yrs

18-24yrs

25-34yrs

35-44yrs

45-54yrs

55-64yrs

65-74yrs

75+yrs0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Ages of Visitors

Age groups

Am

ou

nt

Graph 3 shows that the majority of visitors were middle-aged independent adults between the ages

of twenty five and forty four, and young dependent children under the age of thirteen. Older people

were under represented with only three individuals over the age of fifty five.

27

Graph 2

Graph 3

Walk Cycle Bus Train Car Motorcycle02468

101214161820

Transport Used

Mode of Travel

Res

po

nse

s

Graph 4 shows that all respondents travelled to the site by car.

Do you live locally

Yes

No

Approximately 95% of the respondents did not live locally. Below is a map of where

respondents reside, one respondent withheld information, therefore only eighteen

locations are on the map.

28

Graph 4

Graph 5

Map 1

The map was created using postcodes inputted into batchgeo. The map can be accessed at:

http://batchgeo.com/map/f1c08132aa0625b8117e7772a5c48ad5

Only two respondents lived within Wales itself. Sixteen respondents lived outside of Wales, fifteen of

which resided in England and one in Germany. The map shows a high density of locations in the

North West, with a clear belt of respondents living between the areas of Preston and Birmingham.

The belt is approximately 110 miles long and runs parallel to the M6. Eleven of the respondents

lived on this belt, representing 61%. Only three respondents lived in the south of England,

representing 17% of the population.

Staying in accomodation overnight that is not your own

Yes

No

The pie chart above shows that, 79% of respondents to the survey, stayed in accommodation

overnight that was not their own.

29

Graph 5

Findings show the range of different types of accommodation stayed in by the visitors overnight.

Fifteen of the nineteen groups stayed in accommodation that was not their own, which represents

79% of the population. Just over a third of all respondents stayed at a campsite. Self Catering and

hotel accommodation were also popular choices for overnight stays. Staying at a B&B or with

family/friends were the least common responses. Finally, zero respondents stayed at a hostel.

£318.00

£243.00

£653.00

£331.00

£10.00

Spending Patterns

Travel

Food & Drink

Accomodation

Leisure Activities

Other

The total spend on the 19 groups was £1555 across the five categories. Accommodation accounted

for around 42% (~£10.20 pp) of total respondent spend, followed by leisure activities at 21%(~£5.10

pp) and travel at 20%(~£4.85 pp), then food and drink at 16% (~£3.89 pp), and finally 1%

30

Campsite B&B Hotel Hostel Self Catering With Family/Friends

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Accomodation Stayed inR

esp

on

ses

Graph 7

(~£0.24pp) of total spend was categorised as ‘other’. This is equal to around £82 per group, or an

average of £24.29 per person for the day.

Wildlife Interest

No interest

Passing interest

Casual interest

Serious/dedicated interest

74% of visitors considered their wildlife interests as casual, 16% had a serious/dedicated interest,

and 10% only had a passing interest in wildlife.

13

16

1515

16

9

Agreement Statements

Countryside Escapism

Traditional Coastal Trip

Wildlife Watching

Activities Orientated

Cultural and Sightseeing

Nostalgic

Respondents were asked which statements they agreed with in regards to their visit to North Wales,

details can be seen in the Appendix.

31

Graph 8

Graph 9

Six statements were put forward and respondents were asked to select all statements that applied

to them. A total of 84 agreement statements were gathered, the number of agreements for each

category can be seen in the pie chart. Visitors agreed the reason for their visit to North Wales was

mostly for a traditional coastal trip and/or cultural and sightseeing trip, both categories had a total of

sixteen positive agreements, equating to 19% each. Wildlife watching and activities orientated

reasons for visiting North Wales both had a total of fifteen positive agreements, equal to 18% each,

making them the second most popular reasons for visitation. Countryside escapism and nostalgic

trips were the least agreed with statements, at thirteen (15%) and nine (11%) respectively.

Qualitative Semi-Structured Interview Questionnaires

Two separate interview questionnaires were conducted with Rob Booth and Nia Jones from NWWT;

the questionnaires were distributed via email on the 7th of November 2014.

Rob’s responses to the interview questions can be seen below:

1. How would you describe the typical visitor to your site/event? “This is a tough question, as it

depends on the site and / or event in question. A typical visitor to Gwaith Powdwr at the

moment is a local adult dog walker, sometimes with their kids. However, if it’s an event like a

bat or nightjar walk then it might be someone from further afield who’s travelled an hour and

is very interested in wildlife. Equally, if you look at other sites like Rhiwledyn (Little Orme),

the average visitor would probably be 40 – 70 years old, wanting to walk over the public

footpath to Angel or Penrhyn Bay for the exercise and the views. They would be mostly

local, but in the summer you get quite a few tourists in the area.”

2. What do you think is a strong motivator for their visit? “Factors would include exercise,

interest in wildlife, dog walking, accessibility, free of charge.”

3. Do you think the public would be willing to pay for access to your sites? If so how would you

implement/collect? Could you see any resultant drawbacks/benefits of charging visitors?

32

“No, I don’t think they would be willing to pay. Most of our sites don’t have the infrastructure

(parking, toilets, café) or the consistent wildlife spectacle (e.g. a number of different bird

hides with year round views of unusual species) to justify payment and we don’t have the

staff available to collect money. However, we could acquire or develop a reserve with these

attributes. Cemlyn would be one possibility, but the main wildlife spectacle is restricted to the

spring / early summer tern colony. I would suggest a carpark with automated ticket machine

would be the best solution, staffing it is just very expensive.”

4. Could you describe how you view the wildlife tourism industry in North Wales (Strengths/

Opportunities, and Threats/Weaknesses):

“Strengths: big variety of habitats in a small area; accessible from the Midlands and North-

west cities of England; wide variety of accommodation; species diversity. Weaknesses: not

promoted enough; poor facilities on sites; lack of information; poorly funded conservation

organisations; weather. Opportunities: promotion; improve facilities (parking, toilets, paths,

hides, information); proper protection of key sites. Threats: climate change (wildlife will move

so existing sites may become worthless); urban development; pollution; competition.”

5. What in your opinion is the key to securing the future of a healthy wildlife tourism industry in

North Wales? “I would say it is government support through funding initiatives to help the

wildlife sector, e.g. promoting Wales as a wildlife destination much as Scotland does

successfully. If the public and government were better informed about how much wildlife

contributes to the economy then conservation and wildlife tourism would go up the political

agenda and get the recognition they deserve.”

Nia’s responses to the interview questions can be seen below:

33

1. How would you describe the typical visitor to your site/event? “My events differ quite a lot

based on what kind of event it is however I would say that typically, in an average summer

season of events, participants are families with primary school aged kids. Some local

however mostly visitors on holiday, generally camping/caravanning and quite a few have

their own caravans which are based up here and so visit the area regularly.”

2. What do you think is a strong motivator for their visit? “Visit to events I would say something

to do during the summer holidays.”

3. Do you think the public would be willing to pay for access to your sites? If so how would you

implement/collect? Could you see any resultant drawbacks/benefits of charging visitors?

“Not applicable to me as I don’t have a site which I warden.”

4. Could you describe how you view the wildlife tourism industry in North Wales (Strengths/

Opportunities, and Threats/Weaknesses): “Strengths: The natural landscape and its

associated wildlife. Opportunities: To promote and market the area as a great place to enjoy

and see wildlife (can in some cases extend the tourist season).Threats: Industrialisation of

coastal waters, offshore wind farms and other marine renewable energies detract from the

perception of the sea and coastal environment as a “wild” place which is one of its main

attraction as tourist destination (This is my personal opinion). Weaknesses: Lack of

marketing of the opportunities that North Wales has to offer in terms of wildlife tourism. Lack

of consideration given to wildlife tourism in national tourism strategies.”  

5. What in your opinion, is the key to securing the future of a healthy wildlife tourism industry in

North Wales? “Protection of the natural environment & better marketing on a strategic level.”

It is clear that the research findings from the two different approaches have gathered data which is

both informative and complimentary. The results will be examined and analysed in the next chapter.

Discussion

34

In order to address the research question, and understand the social and economic behaviours of

wildlife tourists; firstly findings of the survey will be discussed, followed by a discussion about the

interviews conducted with NWWT. This will now be examined with reference to literature and similar

studies, to ascertain whether wildlife visitors could indeed provide revenue for NWWT.

The survey carried out Anglesey Sea Zoo gathered information on visitor demographics,

motivations and spending patterns.

Visitor Demographics (Profile):

Visitors to Anglesey Sea Zoo (ASZ) were primarily independent middle aged adults between the

ages of twenty five and forty four, and young children under thirteen years of age. Fredline (2001)

found that 56% of adult wildlife tourists were in this age bracket but had no data on children. Blake

et al (2010) found that 31% of overnight tourists and 22% of day visitors were part of this age

category, and young children accounted for 10% and 14% respectively. Figures show that the

majority of visitors travelled in groups, and these groups were primarily families consisting of three

to five members. The ICRT (2010) and Blake et al (2010) similarly found that most people visiting

wildlife destinations in Yorkshire were also part of a family group. The results also showed that all

respondents travelled to Anglesey Sea Zoo by car, and that 95% did not live locally, with the

majority of visitors coming from the North West of England, and only one respondent coming from

overseas. Statistics published by the ONS suggest that the British public are increasingly choosing

to spend their holiday within the UK, known as a ‘staycation’. This trend is likely to be a result of the

current economic climate (recession) and the reduction of disposable income, combined with an

increase in environmental awareness and extensive media coverage of environmental and

conservation issues (Curtin,2013). Furthermore, 79% of respondents stayed in accommodation

overnight that was not their own, with camping being the most common form of accommodation

being used. This suggests that people are willing to travel to North Wales for the purpose of wildlife

tourism, this is also evident in the statics published by Visit Wales who found that between 2008

and 2013 an average of 3,700,000 visits are made to wildlife tourism destinations specifically in

35

Wales; these destinations fall into two categories “country park, garden, other natural”(CP) and

“wildlife attraction”(WL). This is further backed by the results of the survey, as the majority of

visitors were not local but stayed overnight, suggesting there was strong motivation for choosing

North Wales (and ASZ) as a tourist destination. Additionally, visitors being able to travel long

distances and stay overnight suggests a certain amount of affluence regardless of the recession, as

they were able to fund a ‘staycation’. The collection of demographic data is important as it can give

insight into particular market segments, and therefore can be influential in marketing wildlife tourism

products. This research could have benefited by also collecting data on the gender of visitors and

their average house hold income so that more correlations could have been drawn upon. For

example; the type of accommodation could have been influenced by the amount of wealth in a

group, and having figures on gender could have allowed for further segmentation of the sector.

Motivations:

The majority of visitors described themselves as having a ‘casual interest’ in wildlife, and can be

described as exhibiting a keen interest in seeing wildlife whilst on holiday (Blake et al, 2010). The

survey complimented this with data collected from the agreement statements; with traditional

coastal, cultural and sightseeing, wildlife, and activities trips being common reasons for their

visitation. These types of trips are often spent outdoors, and tourists often come into contact with

wildlife as a result of the activities undertaken on these types of excursions. Additionally, results

show that camping is the most utilised form of overnight accommodation, and can itself be

considered an activity which allows people to experience the environment and its wildlife at close

quarters. This evidence implies that people are highly motivated to come to North Wales and

immerse themselves with all facets of the natural environment in order to fulfil a set of needs, such

as those described by Maslow’s Hierarchy. This reverberates observations made by Curtin (2013);

that as our populations become more urbanised, people’s relationship with nature becomes more

diminished, and as a result they are actively taking trips and holidays which put them back in touch

with nature and wildlife. This represent an opportunity for NWWT as these types of visitors may not

be familiar with the natural environment and could benefit from interpretation and guidance. Results

36

of the survey show that 61% of participants lived in a belt between Preston and Birmingham, the

locations are in urbanised areas running parallel to the M6, which is in keeping with Curtin’s

observation. Other reports such as that carried out by VisitBritain (2004) also found that the

opportunity to see wildlife was a prominent motivator for tourist travel. Literature sources put a

great deal of emphasis on the importance of understanding the motivations of tourists, and the

similarities and differences within each market segment, including travel decisions and choice of

destination. Pearce (1988) theorises that peoples motives for travel change according to their life

stage and accumulated travel experiences. For wildlife tourism to be harnessed to its full potential

by organisations within the industry, a comprehensive understanding of tourist motivations is

essential so that products can be developed and marketed correctly, and sold at the optimal price

and volume to suit the target population.

Spending patterns:

To begin to calculate the value of wildlife tourism in North Wales requires an understanding of

spending patterns of tourists and visitors to the area. Results of the survey at ASZ estimate that

tourists visiting wildlife attractions spend on average £24.29 per person. This estimate is

comparable to findings of other studies; the ICRT (2010) found the average spend associated with

wildlife tourism in Eastern Yorkshire was £52.82 per person, VisitEngland (2006) found the average

spend per person per leisure day trip was £25.02, and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust found that visitors to

their reserves spent on average £12.54 per head. Calculating the mean of these three sources

give an average of £30.13 per person per wildlife orientated trip, which is not too dissimilar to the

survey findings. The breakdown of visitor spend shows that the biggest expenditure made by

tourists was on accommodation at approximately £10.20 per person per day, followed by spending

on leisure activities at £5.10, travel at £4.85 (which would have solely been the cost of fuel as 100%

of visitors travelled by car), food and drink at £3.89, and ‘other’ only accounting for £0.24. It is

important to capture the spending patterns of wildlife tourists from a marketing perspective, so that

37

the correct marketing mix can be achieved ensuring maximum impact of products and services on

potential customers.

The semi-structured interviews collected perspectives and opinions of wildlife professionals, giving

important insight into the industry which cannot be collected using quantitative methods. Information

collected during the interview indicates that a typical visitor to wildlife sites/attractions in the local

area is dependent on the season and the site/event in question. However, during the summer which

is the peak season for wildlife tourism, the typical visitors are families with primary school aged

children. This is in keeping with other literature and the results of the survey carried out at ASZ. For

example, the ICRT (2010) found that 55% of visitors across three study sites in Yorkshire were ‘with

family’, and Blake et al (2010) found that 59% of overnight tourists and 63% of day visitors travelled

with family. The findings of the survey at ASZ complements this showing that most visitors were in

groups of three to five people , and the majority of people were middle aged adults or children under

the age of thirteen. It would have been beneficial to ask participants a categorical question on who

they were visiting with to highlight this further. However, looking at the raw data it is clear that most

visits were made by family groups.

During the interview apart from an interest in wildlife, accessibility was described as being a strong

motivator for tourists; with emphasis being on free admissions, and an ‘activity’ to do during the

summer holidays. This backs up the results of the survey as 100% of visitors had a degree of

interest in wildlife, with the majority categorising themselves as having a casual interest. The

agreement statements also suggest that visits to the area were related to taking part in ‘stimulating’

activities such as cultural/sightseeing, traditional coastal, activities orientated (walking, cycling,

canoeing etc) and wildlife watching. The time of year the survey was carried out in may have biased

the results, as it was in the middle of the summer holidays; it would therefore be advantageous to

survey people at other times of year. Conducting multiple surveys at different times of the year

could show if people’s motivations change; for example, during different seasons. Outside the

summer holidays visitor demographics could be completely different and this could affect visitor

motivations. The survey at ASZ showed that people over the age of fifty five were

38

underrepresented, this in theory could change to a much higher percentage at other times of year,

and depending on where these visitors are on their travel career ladder motivations for their travel

could also change: further studies would be needed to explore this. Due to the time constraints of

this research only two interviews were conducted (although ASZ were approached but did not

respond),conducting a variety of interviews with wildlife tourism stakeholders would have been more

beneficial, as a variety of perspectives could have been drawn upon giving a more balanced view of

the wildlife tourism industry. An awareness of tourist motivations is crucial when developing a

market plan, and has important implication for the management and development of wildlife tourism

products and packages. It is especially central to areas such as product/service planning, marketing

communication and visitor attraction/retention.

It is apparent that visitors are highly motivated to travel to this specific area of the UK over other

popular and thriving wildlife areas such as Scotland. This suggests that there is an existing market

for wildlife tourism in North Wales, although perhaps currently smaller and less well known than

other destinations. The stunning coastal and mountain landscapes of the area are most likely

responsible for this. With North Wales being home to a variety of habitats and species; it is

important to maintain, protect and restore all habitats which as a result of their vulnerability, could

be determinately affected by increasing visitor numbers. However, this level of attentiveness

requires revenue to be generated by organisations which manage our ecosystem services such as

NWWT, and with government and private grants becoming harder to secure, these organisations

must look for alternative income streams. One alternative could potentially be through the wildlife

tourism industry, and charging an entrance fee to visitors at sites and attractions. Rob booth at

NWWT was asked for his opinion on whether the public would be willing to pay for access to site; he

believed that the public would not be willing to pay for access to the NWWT sites in particular due to

their lack of facilities and year-round wildlife viewing opportunities. He also stated that collection of

payment would in itself present a challenge to NWWT, as they do not have the staff, and therefore

looking into an automated payment method such a ticket machine in a car park would be more

feasible. This does not concur with previous studies and literature. For example, White and Lovett

39

(1999) found that 97.9% of visitors to the North York Moors National Park would in fact be willing to

pay towards the parks maintenance, and that people’s willingness to pay had a direct relationship

with price, being that their willingness decreased with increasing prices. Therefore, the challenge

would be on setting an agreeable price where the optimum amount of revenue could be achieved

without compromising on the quality of products and services. This is important when considering

the market mix, as high prices could drive people away affecting visitor attraction and retention, and

low prices (although likely to attract visitors) may not be sufficient enough to cover the costs of

management and maintenance of wildlife sites and attractions. Achieving a balance is essential as

there is statistical evidence in between total direct income and visitor numbers (Tye & Gordon,

1995), this presents a paradigm where sites with more revenue are better managed, and better

managed sites attract more visitors. A barrier to setting and implementing an entrance fee for

wildlife sites and attractions, (especially those directly associated with the natural environment, such

as a NWWT reserve) is that access to these types of sites has historically been free in the UK.

Consequently, achieving an optimal price would require further market research and consultation

with stakeholders including the general public, so that proposed pricing policies would be met with

the least resistance allowing for the most success.

The NWWT staff were also asked about their views on the current wildlife tourism industry for North

Wales. Both interviewees agreed that its strength was down to a large variety of landscapes; which

encompasses a diversity of habitats and landscapes. Rob Booth also described the area as having

a range of different accommodation options, and being easily accessible from the Midlands and

North-West cities of England, this view highlight the findings of the survey that 61% of respondents

lived between Preston and Birmingham parallel to the M6. Opportunities were considered to be

improving facilities and promotion, this is linked to the paradigm described previously, and that

having improved facilities could potentially attract market segments previously unreached. For

example, the low visitor figures on people over the age of fifty five could be improved if they were

provided facilities such as toilets, and somewhere they could sit, eat, and warm up. Similarly

improved promotion could increase the amount of day and overnight visitations to the area by both

40

domestic and international tourists. This again links back to the visitor-revenue paradigm; increased

visitor numbers could considerably boost income revenue, increased revenue can positively impact

the wildlife tourism industry through better funding of areas such as management, education and

conservation. These opportunities also represent the current weaknesses of wildlife tourism in

North Wales; additionally Nia Jones suggests that the lack of consideration given to wildlife tourism

in national tourism strategies is another weakness. The purpose of these strategies is to; 1) provide

guidance to planning authorities to help secure growth in the visitor economy, 2) highlight future

opportunities for investment and development to all councils and other stakeholders, 3) promote

actions needed to support growth in a structured and consistent manner (VisitScotland). This lack of

consideration and backing by councils/government could potentially be stunting the growth of the

industry, and with the correct support wildlife tourism could have the potential to grow beyond the

10-20% figures stated by Curtin (2013) and UNTWO. Threats to the wildlife tourism industry include

climate change; a big change in the local climate could render key wildlife sites worthless as the

wildlife may move. Urban development, including the industrialisation of coastal waters could also

make the area less appealing as it detracts from the perception that the area is a ‘wild’ place.

Competition from other wildlife destination hotspots could also represent potential threat to the local

wildlife tourism industry. The success of wildlife tourism industry in North Wales is dependent on the

mitigation of these weaknesses and threats. The North Wales market needs to differentiate itself

from other wildlife destinations, and needs to employ the right strategies to gain a competitive edge,

such as those defined by Bowman’s strategy clock and Porter’s five forces. Furthermore, it is the

opinions of the staff at NWWT that the key to securing the future of a healthy wildlife tourism

industry locally is through government support and funding, including the promotion of North Wales

as a wildlife destination. In addition, better communication between the government and

stakeholders within the wildlife tourism industry could also highlight the economic importance of

wildlife, and move it up the political agenda by increasing the perceived value of wildlife tourism and

conservation.

Conclusion

41

Wildlife Tourism has the potential to significantly contribute to local incomes and employment, and is

a valuable resource for satisfying basic human wants and needs. Capturing and understanding

visitor motivations and spending patterns are important from an economic perspective. With this

knowledge wildlife tourism ‘operators’, such as NWWT, can capitalise on making products and

services which complement wildlife tourist wants and needs. Further research about visitor

motivations and expectations would be beneficial in order to establish a strategic plan for the

development of Wildlife Tourism in North Wales. Although, taking a market led approach would

significantly increase the economic impact of wildlife tourism, as tourists would feel a sense of

temptation and satisfaction at the goods and services on offer, increasing revenue through the

amount they spend, and importantly the likelihood of a return visit. The future and success of wildlife

tourism in North Wales is dependent on creating an appealing brand image, which can only be

achieved through; drawing from a variety of sectors, continual research, promotion and marketing,

and an adaptive management strategy.

Considerations and Recommendations

Although North Wales has unique landscapes similar to Scotland it is not well marketed to the

consumer and therefore receives less interest. Local stakeholders should therefore focus on two

main strategies: development of facilities, and increased marketing efforts. Wildlife sites in the area

are generally lacking in services and facilities and it would be advantageous to improve/develop

them as it would attract a larger range of visitors. Increasing public interest in local wildlife tourism

products through better marketing of existing attractions as well as proposed developments is vital.

In addition, an increase in marketing and promotion at national and local levels could significantly

increase visitation to the area. With current domestic visitors to North Wales primarily travelling

from the Midlands and the North-west of England, it would be logical to focus initial attention on this

area, promoting and securing North Wales as an accessible, affordable, and enjoyable wildlife

destination. Once North Wales has established itself as a reputable wildlife destination in these

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geographical areas, efforts can be made to expand its reach. Effective marketing and promotion

efforts could achieve substantial revenue needed for the growth and development of the sector, and

this in turn has the potential to further increase visitations and revenue, which can be reinvested into

conservation and research ensuring the persistence of local habitats and wildlife in the future.

However, development and growth of the industry can have increased impacts on the environment

and it’s wildlife. It would be essential to the integrity of wildlife tourism and the habitats and species

the industry relies upon, to establish management techniques across the sector which mitigate

these impacts. Stipulating minimum requirements and standards of environmental safety and

awareness may be fundamental to the sustainability of the industry. It therefore could be necessary

to have an independent ‘body’ which develops, audits and maintains policies and standards across

the sector. Public and private sectors within the wildlife tourism industry would significantly benefit if

they worked co-operatively and collaboratively, forming partnerships. The sharing of knowledge and

skills has the potential to produce outstanding and unique products and packages. Establishment of

a local wildlife tourism centre and a focal website would be advantageous. Their purpose would be

to direct people around the area to locations which fit in with interests and needs, and provide

information on local products and services, as well as packaged holidays. Designing a voluntary

‘wildlife friendly’ scheme for local business to take part in, especially in the hospitality sector, could

open up new economic opportunities for businesses which are not associated with the wildlife

tourism industry. Members of this scheme would provide and loan basic tools and facilities to wildlife

tourists; for example, a boot drying room, wildlife identification books, maps, and binoculars. In

addition, they would also provide information on local wildlife sites and attractions, this would be a

two way partnership where wildlife sites and attractions promote and refer customers which are

seeking their services back to them.

Previously NWWT has focused on grants and donations as an income source. There is scope to

generate their own revenue from some strategic changes in their operations, products and services,

as well as the development of new ones. Attraction and retainement of visitors should be their

primary focus. This may require the provision of new products and services; initially the

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development of basic facilities at reserves, with the possibility of creating a visitors centre at a

reserve in the future. Basic facilities should include; parking, bicycle racks, picnic benches, and

toilets. Development of parking spaces at reserves could present an opportunity to collect additional

income directly from visitors, and represent the first steps towards an independent and self-efficient

trust. This could simply be achieved through the implementation of a ticket machine at car parks,

this would be easy to install and maintain, and would not require additional staff to be employed.

NWWT should also identify and promote (charismatic) species which are present on their sites all

year round and seasonally, this will attract a range of visitors, and can be used to build a marketing

campaign on. Increased visitation at reserves will positively influence income for NWWT and other

local business. Therefore, NWWT should look into directly promoting the opportunity to see wildlife

in the area alongside existing attractions. This will rely on the formation of partnerships and

communication avenues with similar organisations, such as RSPB Conwy, Welsh Mountain Zoo,

Pilis Palas, and Treborth Botanic Gardens. In addition, a partnership with Bangor University (BU)

which own Treborth could also present a wealth of opportunities for both parties. BU has two

schools which could benefit from such a partnership; School of Biological Sciences, and School of

Environment, Natural Resources and Geography. Student of these schools often wish to take part in

work experience and volunteering in conservation and ecology; a partnership could facilitate their

career development as well provide NWWT with the ‘extra hands’ needed for their existing

conservation work, and future developments and projects. NWWT should also look into providing

wildlife orientated courses similar to those run by other Wildlife Trusts, these would be attractive to

students, graduates, wildlife enthusiasts and existing wildlife professionals. a partnership with BU

could provide them with the tools and facilities needed to run the courses, and it would provide an

additional source of income for NWWT.

44

References

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Analoi, F and Karami, A (2003). Strategic Management, in Small and Medium Enterprises. London: Thomson Learning. p247-251.

Black, K (2011). Business Statistics: For Contemporary Decision Making. US: John Wiley & Sons. p231.

Blake, A., Curtin, S., Brackstone, J., Richards, S., Vaughan, R., Edwards, J., & Fletcher, J. (2010). The Economic Impact of Wildlife Tourism in Scotland.

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Callingham, M (2004). Market Intelligence: How and why Organizations Use Market Research. London: Kogan Page Limited. p103-107.

Curtin, S. (2013). Lessons from Scotland: British wildlife tourism demand, product development and destination management. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 2(3), 196-211.

Eagles, P. F., & McCool, S. F. (2002). Tourism in national parks and protected areas: Planning and management. CABI

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Environment Agency Wales (2007). Wildlife Economy Wales: An Economic Evaluation Scoping Study. The Valuing Our Environment Partnership, Wales.

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Muscarado, G and Saltzer, M (2005). Understanding Tourism Wildlife Interactions: Visitor Market Analysis . Australia: Sustainable Tourism CRC. p2.

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Appendix I

This is survey is for research purposes only; in conjunction with North Wales Wildlife Trust and Bangor University. All information given is anonymous and confidential, and will not be passed on to third parties.

Have you heard of the Wildlife Trusts? Yes No

Are you a member of North Wales Wildlife Trust? Yes No

Are you a member of another Wildlife Trust? ______________________________

Have you been a visitor to this site/event previously? Yes No

Visitor Information:

Party information:

47

Postcode: _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How many people are there in your party? Please Circle:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Travel Information:

48

Please indicate the ages of People in your party: filling in the brackets if multiple people are the same age. Eg. 3 Adults aged 25, 27, 32 would be noted as 25-34 [3]

Children: <3 [ _ ] 4-8 [ _ ] 9-13 [ _ ] 14-17 [ _ ]

Adults:18-24 [ _ ] 25-34 [ _ ] 35-44 [ _ ] 45-54 [ _ ] 55-64 [ _ ] 65-74 [ _ ] 75+ [ _ ]

Please indicate how you got to this site/event:

Walk Cycle Bus

Train Car Motorcycle

Do you live locally?

Yes No

Are you staying in accommodation overnight that is not your own?

Yes No

Please Indicate:

Campsite B&B Hotel Hostel

With Family/Friends

Agreement StatementsPlease indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements in regards to your visit to the North Wales area:

Countryside Escapism (incl. Coastal)Did you visit this area to escape from a busy lifestyle?-do you own a second home in this area?

Agree Disagree

Traditional Coastal TripDid you visit this area to specially enjoy the coastal landscape?

Wildlife Watching Did you visit this area with the intention of seeing (or seeking out) wildlife?

Activities OrientatedDid you visit this area to specifically take part in a physical/leisure activity?

(Walking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, climbing, boating, fishing, shooting, etc)

Cultural and SightseeingDid you visit this area for its culture and/or sights?

(Festivals, castles, manor houses, museums, etc)

Nostalgic Trip Did you visit this area because it held significant importance to a pervious life stage/ memory?

How would you describe your interest in wildlife?

No Interest Passing interest Casual interest Serious/dedicated Interest

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How much on average have you spent today? + Predicted Spend for the rest of the day

On Travel: _ _ _._ _ + _ _ _._ _

On Food and Drink: _ _ _._ _ + _ _ _._ _

On Accommodation: _ _ _._ _ + _ _ _._ _

On Leisure Activities: _ _ _._ _ + _ _ _._ _

Other Please Specify: _ _ _._ _ + _ _ _._ _

Which of these Local Wildlife Sites and Attractions have you visited?

Pilis Palas

Anglesey Sea Zoo

Welsh Mountain Zoo

Puffin Island

RSPB Conwy

A NWWT Reserve ____________________

Snowdonia National Park (Area Of) _____________________

Analoui, F and Karami, A (2003). Strategic Management in Small and Medium Enterprises. London: Thomson Learning. p247-251.

Fyall, A and Garrod, B (2005). Tourism Marketing: a collaborative approach. London: Channel View Publications. p105-106.

The Wildlife Trusts. (2014). Working Together. Available: http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/who-we-are/royal-society-wildlife-trusts. Last accessed 7th Oct 2014.

Wilson, C and Tisdell, C. (2001). Conservation and Economic Benefits of Wildlife-based Marine Tourism: Sea Turtles and Whales as Case Studies. ECONOMICS, ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. 64 .p1-19.

Wilson, R and Gilligan,C (2012). Strategic Marketing Management. London: Taylor and Francis. p387-423.

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