Research Topic: Ecotourism development in Western Australia
Aims of the Research:
1. To investigate the emergence of ecotourism policy and practice in Western Australia (ie Naturebank)
2. To identify ecotourism operations that exist along the coast of Western Australia (from Perth to Derby)
3. To undertake a rapid assessment these ecotourism businesses
4. To investigate and explore if there are any Best Practice examples and document them
5. To suggest as least one improvement for each business
6. To create a report for knowledge sharing
It is an exciting time in Western Australia (WA) for ecotourism development. With a very progressive and proactive government driving a new initiative called Naturebank, WA is positioning itself to be “among the world’s premier ecotourism destinations” (Tourism Western Australia, 2011). In my research I will be explaining what Naturebank is, detailing its creation, outlining how it has influenced other state governments and the federal government to support and embrace this unique WA initiative and mapping the linkages between Australian policy and programs that support and encourage ecotourism development.
Once the policy and practice of ecotourism development in WA has been detailed, I will provide examples of best practices from existing ecotourism operation in WA which I will be discovering as I travel for one month along the coast of WA, from Perth to Derby, stopping in Broome for a conference organised by the Forum Advocating Cultural and Ecotourism (FACET) which is themed People, Partnerships and Programs, Emerging Opportunities for Kimberley Tourism (Figure:1 below). While at the conference I will be attending the key note speaker sessions and workshop to learn more about ecotourism development and best practice initiatives. A copy of the conference program is attached as Appendix B.
During my travel I will be uploading information on ecotourism, as well as photos from the ecotourism operations visited, to a Blog site which everyone is welcome to follow. The site address is http://kimberleyresearch2012.blogspot.com.au/
I look forward to sharing the insights on ecotourism development gained from this expedition with the class upon my return.
Proposed Approach or Methodology:
A case study, and informal interviews
The research plan is a case study
of ecotourism policy and practice emergence in Western Australia and an
investigation of ecotourism operations that exist along the coast of Western
Australia between Perth and Derby. The
approach will be a 1 month long driving expedition (see Figure:1 below) from August
18 – September 13, as per the draft itinerary attached in Appendices A.
TASKS
1.
Undertaking a literature review on the
emergence of Ecotourism policy and practices in WA
2.
Data mining WA tourism industry notes, and
interviewing key informants to identify existing ecotourism businesses
3.
Create a Blog site for information sharing
during the trip
4.
Visit ecotourism operations where time permits
while on the expedition
5.
Photograph, video and take filed notes
6.
Speak with (informal interviews) the ecotourism
operators and staff where possible
7.
Exchange contact details in case follow up
communications is needed
8.
Attend the FACET conference in Broome and
videotape the Key Note speakers talking about Ecotourism
9.
Edit video for use on the FACET website and
sharing in class. Use snippets for this
assignment’s final presentation.
10. Create
report
11. Distribute
report to ecotourism operators visited where requested
12. Possible
journal article from case study of emergence of WA’s ecotourism policy and
practice
August 1 – 17
|
Literature review and data mining
|
August 18 – September 13
|
Field Expedition
|
September 14 – October 5
|
Synthesize field notes
|
September 18
|
Progress
report. Present a summary of proposed research. Power-point presentations
five - ten minutes in length (10 – 12 power-point slides).
|
September 19 – October 10
|
Draft
report
|
October 11 - 15
|
Edit
Videos
|
October 16 - 20
|
Finalize
Report (approximately 6000 words)
|
Monday
22 October.
|
Present
Findings to Class. Summary of research. Power-point presentations ten minutes
in length (20 power-point slides).
|
Appendices A
August
|
Saturday
|
18
|
Depart Perth
|
September
|
Saturday
|
1
|
Broome – Derby
|
Sunday
|
19
|
Denham (Shark Bay)
(820 km)
|
Sunday
|
2
|
Derby – Islands
|
||
Monday
|
20
|
Denham to Exmouth (450km)
|
Monday
|
3
|
Derby – Islands
|
||
Tuesday
|
21
|
Ningaloo MP / Cape Range NP
(Exmouth)
|
Tuesday
|
4
|
Derby – Winjana (150km)
|
||
Wednesday
|
22
|
Ningaloo MP / Cape Range NP
(Exmouth)
|
Wednesday
|
5
|
Winjana – Tunnel Creek – Geikie Gorge (165km)
|
||
Thursday
|
23
|
Drive Exmouth to Karijini NP
(686 km)
|
Thursday
|
6
|
Geikie Gorge – Purnululu (650km)
|
||
Friday
|
24
|
Karijini
|
Friday
|
7
|
Purnululu
|
||
Saturday
|
25
|
Karijini NP
|
Saturday
|
8
|
Purnululu
|
||
Sunday
|
26
|
Leave Karijini
for Eighty Mile Beach (525 km)
|
Sunday
|
9
|
Purnululu
|
||
Monday
|
27
|
Eighty Mile Beach
to Broome (365 km) Stay Mercure
Broome
|
Monday
|
10
|
Purnululu – Perth (3200km)
|
||
Tuesday
|
28
|
FACET Conference
Welcome Cocktail Function
|
Tuesday
|
11
|
Purnululu – Perth
|
||
Wednesday
|
29
|
FACET Workshop
|
Wednesday
|
12
|
Purnululu – Perth
|
||
Thursday
|
30
|
Leave No Trace Workshop
|
Thursday
|
13
|
Perth
|
||
Friday
|
31
|
Depart Broome for Derby
|
Provisional Reading List
List of relevant references to
the research
Dowling, R.K. (2000) Global
ecotourism at the start of the new millennium. World Leisure Journal 42 (2):
11-19.
Dowling, R.K. (2001)
Environmental Tourism. In N. Douglas, N. Douglas &, R. Derrett. eds.
Special Interest Tourism: Contexts and Cases. John Wiley & Sons Australia,
Brisbane, pp.283-306.
Dowling, R.K. (2002) Theme
Issue: Australian Ecotourism Journal of Ecotourism Volume 1.
Dowling, R.K. (2003) Community
attitudes to tourism development in natural areas. In S. Singh,
D.J. Timothy & R.K. Dowling
eds. Tourism and Destination Communities. CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK, pp205-228.
Dowling, R.K. (2004) An
ecotourism development plan for the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia In D.
Diamantis ed. Ecotourism Management and Assessment, pp323-336. Thomson
Learning, London, UK.
Dowling, R.K. (2004)
Motivations of the environmental tourist. In A. Raj ed. The Tourist – A
Psychological Perspective. International Tourism Publishing, Jhansi, India,
pp167-186.
Dowling, R.K & Newsome, D.
eds. (2006) Geotourism. Elsevier, Butterworth Heinemann. Oxford, UK.
Fennell, D. (2008) Ecotourism,
3rd edn. London: Routledge.
Fennell, D. and Weaver, D.
(2005) The ecotourism concept and tourism-conservation symbiosis. Journal of
Sustainable Tourism, 13(4), 373-390.
Fennell, D.A. & Dowling,
R.K. eds. (2003) Ecotourism Policy and Planning. CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK.
Holden, A. (2008) Environment
and Tourism, 2nd edn. Oxford, UK: Routledge.
Newsome, D., Moore, S.A. &
Dowling, R.K. (2002) Natural Area Tourism: Ecology, Impacts and Management .
Channel View Publications, Clevedon, UK.
Newsome, D., Dowling, R.K.
& Moore, S. (2005) Wildlife Tourism. Channel View Publications, Clevedon,
UK.
Tourism Western Australia
(2011) Naturebank, exceptional ecotourism development opportunities in Western
Australia
Weaver, D. B. ed. (2001) The
Encyclopedia of Ecotourism. CAB International, Oxon.
Wearing S. L. and Neil, J.
(2009) Ecotourism: Impacts, potential and possibilities, 2nd edn. Oxford:
Butterworth-Heineman.
Weaver, D.B. (2005)
Comprehensive and minimalist dimensions of ecotourism. Annals of Tourism
Research, 32(2), 439-455.
Weaver, D.B. (2008) Ecotourism,
2nd edn. Milton, Queensland: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
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