Whale-watching is a global industry, and quality education onboard can enhance passenger learning and understanding of conservation issues. Here, we investigated whale-watch tourists’ knowledge, perceptions, and conservation attitudes at the Gold Coast, Australia.
The research team surveyed 2,000 whale-watch tourists using a Likert scale survey. Results indicate that while the majority chose tours a) to observe whales up close (78.8%) and b) that offer a guaranteed sighting (70.2%), the education programme on the tour was highly rated by passengers (97.5%) after the tour. Tourists gained knowledge about whales (93.9%), oceans (65.7%), and how to protect them (86.2%) during the tour. After the tour, most passengers felt compassion for the whales (87.1%) and more connected to the oceans (81.5%). Furthermore, they indicated they would recycle more (83.1%), reduce plastic use (78.3%), and dispose of rubbish properly (71.7%) after the tour. A follow-up component asked passengers if they performed conservation activities later.
Whale-watching provides a valuable opportunity to educate people about ocean conservation. The survey findings demonstrated the importance of an integrated education program during whale-watching to assist tourists in learning and appreciating the marine world. Tourism operators need guidance on designing effective education programmes to encourage environmental action.