| Ecotourism, a subset of tourism aiming to benefit both livelihoods and the environment, is a growing sector of the travel market, generating significant revenue and affecting socio-ecological systems at a global scale. Ecotourism is often touted as a "non-consumptive" use of biodiversity, even in light of existing literature that shows detrimental impacts of tourism on wild populations. Few studies have synthesized existing data and made recommendations that can be directly applied to existing wildlife-based ecotourism (WBE) enterprises. Using content analysis techniques, this study analyzes ecological, socio-political and economic management contexts of 208 recent WBE case studies. Findings demonstrate extensive and varied impacts of WBE on wildlife, including both indirect impacts related to the reduction of threats, and direct impacts resulting from the tourism activities themselves. Exploitative practices and poaching were reported as most commonly reduced by WBE, while poaching and hunting were also cited as least frequently reduced. Negative behavioral impacts were the most frequently reported direct effects of WBE on wildlife. The most common positive direct impacts were demographic changes at WBE sites. Reported impacts were influenced by species characteristics and activities associated with WBE projects. Many successful mitigation strategies and best-practice recommendations were reported in the literature. This analysis supports the coupling of existing frameworks on wildlife tourism and socio-ecological systems to identify strategies likely to maximize positive conservation outcomes of WBE sites. These findings support the development of project and policy guidelines for WBE as a sustainable conservation-development strategy. |
