BEYOND NICHE MARKETSCONSUMER ATTITUDE

TOWARDS ETHICAL TOURISM

Omar MoufakkirStenden University

TTRA 2008Helsinki

• “Even relatively small-scale tourism can have serious negative impacts” (Rosaleen and Smith, 2003:135).

• Furthermore, forms of tourism that are alternatives to mass tourism have been criticized for focusing “almost exclusively on localized, relatively small-scale development projects, rarely transcending local or regional boundaries, or on particular industry sectors” (Sharpley, 2000:9).

• Due to the problems associated with mass tourism, tourists are moving away from the ‘traditional irresponsible’ tourists towards a more responsible (Krippendorf, 1987), ‘new’ (Poon, 1993), ‘ethical’, ‘environmentally responsible’, ‘good’ (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999), ‘enlightened’(Tearfund, 2002), and ‘experiential type of tourists (King, 2002).

• This shift has enhanced recent interest in the ethical conduct of the tourism industry and the tourists.

• Some authors have argued that ethical principles create for tour operators that embrace them an opportunity for competitive advantage (Tearfund, 2001; Weeden, 2002; Goodwin & Francis, 2003),

• Others, however, have advanced that any form of responsible travel, if not ethics in general seem to remain a “myth” (Josephides, 2002).

• Ethics don’t interest clients, Josephides (2002), the managing director of Sunvil Holidays, argues in the Travel Trade Gazette that “British tourists have absolutely no interest in supporting a host country’s economy, respecting local customs or acting responsible while on holiday (…). They also want it cheap and to hell with who or what is exploited to get the price down”.

• This controversial climate raised the following question: What is the attitude of consumers towards ethical tourism? The intent was to assess whether respondents were predisposed to behave ethically in their tourism behavior. For the purpose of this study, ethical tourism has been defined as tourism that incorporates tourism ethics principles; whereby consumers make the difference between what is right and what is wrong in their tourism behavior.

• Attitudes have traditionally been defined as “learned predispositions to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given object”. Attitude formation precedes, guides, and influences a leisure service purchase decision (Reid and Crompton, 1993). In this context, if consumers have a positive attitude towards ethical tourism their propensity may justify and also guide the action to influence their attitude and guide them to behave ethically in their tourism actions.

• In general, ethics refers to well-based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Ethics in tourism refers to what tourism stakeholders ought to do to make tourism sustainable; whereby host areas and their habitats and consumers, holiday makers, and the tourism industry engage in tourism actions that are mutually benefiting the present without presenting adverse impacts to the future.

• The ethical deficit often seems to be a feature of many areas of modern society “such as public policy, scientific research or business developments. Some consumers even doubt the applicability of ethics to such areas at all” (Rosaleen and Smith, 2003: 8). In sum, while some lament this ethical deficit (e.g, Rosaleen and Smith, 2003), others enthuse about the new ethical orientation of tourists (e.g., Tearfund, 2001; 2002), and while some have developed codes of ethics (e.g., WTO; WTTC; UNEP; Tourism Industry Association of Canada), others have indicated their discontentment with such endeavors, and oppose “the vocabulary of the New Moral Tourist” (e.g., Butcher, 2002: 71).

Location and Sample

• South Africa (N=165) March-April, 2006 Port Elizabeth, Port Alfred, East London up to the Wild Coast such as Port St. Johns, including small towns in the inland area of the Eastern Cape as well. These cities were chosen to be place of action since they are all of different size and represent people with different background and living conditions.

• Switzerland (N=267) March-April, 2005. Ticino region. They include Lugano, and Locarno.

• Netherlands (N=231) March-April, 2006 a large city, a mid-sized city, a town, and a village. These were Rotterdam, Utrech, Groningen, Drachten, and Diever.

• Germany (N=265) October 10-20, 2006

Munich (Bavaria)

Jessen, Battin (Saxony- Anhalt)

Bremen, Bremen

Berlin (Berlin)

Halle, Polleben (Saxony- Anhalt)

Leipzig, Panitzsch (Saxony)

Erfurt (Thuringia)

Norden(Lower Saxony)

Bonn (North Rhine-Westphalia)

Saal an der Donau (Bavaria)

What information do you require before going on holiday? (Check all that apply)

I need information regarding:

95% Switzerland

94% Netherlands

96% Germany

Local customs and appropriate behaviours for tourists

77.0 50.6 63

Main sites to visit at the destination 72.3 63.6 78

Sheet with ten tips for ethically responsible travellers

70.9 8.2 16

History of the host-region and community 43.9 35.5 44

How to protect the local environment and reduce waste

42.8 8.7 11

Ways for tourists to support the local economy 39.2 10.0 11

Local religious beliefs 37.1 13.9 19

Political background of the country and specific region visited

36.0 16.0 34

The wages and working conditions of the local people

28.4 10.4 7

Information required

South Africa

Who do you think is responsible to provide you with such information? (Check all that apply)

I think I should be informed by:

% Switzerland % Netherlands

Travel agents 75.5 64.5

Travel books/guides 72.3 37.2

Tour operators including tour guides at the destination 68.7 60.6

Hotels & accommodation facilities 68.0 19.9

Tourist information offices at the destination 64.0 35.5

Foreign Office Travel Advice Unit 26.6 0.0

Government 0.0 9.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

GermanySouth Africa

Criteria affecting holiday destination choice

Which criteria play a relevant role in determining the choice for your holiday? (Check all that apply)

My holiday has to have the following qualities:

%Switzerland

%Netherlands

Nice weather 75.9 68.4

Affordable cost 70.9 87.0

There is a significant opportunity for interaction with the local people

63.7 19.0

Used the company before 60.1 0.0

Good information is available on the social, economic and political situation of the country and local area visited

59.4 25.1

Guaranteed a good quality hotel with facilities 56.1 36.8

Company has ethical policies 51.8 7.4

Trip has been specifically designed to cause as little damage as possible to the environment

48.9 13.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Price

Weath

Qu

al

Info

Interact

little dam

Co

mp

ethic

Used

Co

South AfricaGermany

Factors influencing choice for booking with or recommending a holiday

companySwiss respondents

To what extent would each of the following factors influence your choice for booking with or recommending a holiday company (Check all that apply)

Veryimport

ant

Quite important Not very important

Irrelevant

Quality of accommodation in the hotel / apartment

Reputation of the holiday company to resolve problems overseas

Quality of the service in the resortProvision of social and environmental

information in tour operator’s brochures

Reputation of the holiday company on environmental issues

36.0

31.3

41.735.2

33.1

35.0

38.5

36.329.9

32.7

15.5

20.5

14.421.2

21.9

13.3

9.7

7.613.7

12.2

Dutch respondents

To what extent would each of the following factors influence your choice for booking with or recommending a holiday company (Check all that apply)

Veryimportant

Quite important

Not very important

Irrelevant

Quality of accommodation in the hotel / apartment

Reputation of the holiday company to resolve problems overseas

Quality of the service in the resortProvision of social and

environmental information in tour operator’s brochures

Reputation of the holiday company on environmental issues

46.8

22.1

35.714.0

1.0

44.6

56.3

55.753.7

43.9

6.1

20.8

7.726.6

37.0

2.6

1.0

1.35.7

9.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

South Africa

Germany

Familiarity with ethics in tourism

no yes

Familiar with ethical tourism

Swiss respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Percentage

Yes No

Figure 2. Familiarity with ethics in tourism.

yes5%

no95%

South Africa

86

14

No Yes

Germ

any

SwitzerlandNeth

erland

s

Likelihood of booking with an ethically-oriented tour operator

yes no difference

undecided no

Willingness to book with an ethically-oriented company

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Per

cent

Dutch respondents

yes no difference

undecided no

Swiss respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Percentage

Yes M akes nodifference

Undecided No

GermanySouth Africa

Netherlands Switzerland

Respondents’ ethical responsibility while on holiday trip

always usually sometimes never

Do you make sure codes are respecetd?

0

10

20

30

40

Per

cent

Dutch respondents

always usually sometimes never

Do you make sure codes are respected?

Swiss respondents

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Percen

tage

Alw ays Usually Som etim es Never

South AfricaGermany

Netherlands Switzerland

05

10152025303540

Percentage

Complain Take directaction

ChangeAgency

Other

What would you do?

South Africa

Willingness to pay for ethical tourism

yes no

Would you be willing to pay more?

0

20

40

60

80

Per

cent

Dutch respondents

no yes

Would you be willing to pay more?

Swiss respondents

75,2

24,8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Percentage

Willing to pay more?

64%

36%

South AfricaGermany

Netherlands Switzerland

Amount of extra money respondents would be willing to pay

2% 5% 10% 20% or more

How much more?

0

10

20

30

40

50

Perc

en

t

Dutch respondents

2% 5% 10% 20%

How much more?

Swiss respondents

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Percentage

2% or less 5% 10% 20% or more

28

46

26

South AfricaGermany

Netherlands Switzerland

Activities respondents would be willing to pay more if they were guaranteed

Which of the following activities would you be willing to pay more money for if they were guaranteed as part of your holiday (Check all that apply)

%Switzerland %Netherlands

Workers in the destination are guaranteed good wages and working conditions

67.6 49.6

Money goes towards preservation of the local environment and reversal of some of the negative environmental effects associated with tourism

63.3 54.8

Money goes to support a local charity or local community

42.1 27.8

None of the above 7.2 17.2

0

10

2030

40

50

6070

Pe

rcen

tag

e

Money is used to decrease ne..

Wokers at destination get go..

Money goes to local charity ..

None of the above

Other

4346

34

GermanySouth Africa

Desired Location for depositing the extra money collected

Where would you like the extra money to be put? %Switzerland %Netherlands

Given to Non Governmental Organizations 77.3 22.9

Divided into the local community 74.7 53.0

Given to the local Government 66.2 12.7

In a local bank, in a fund 56.1 13.3

Kept from the Tour Operators 24.2 13.9

Germany

South Africa

What is you motivation behind paying more for holiday from a tour operator which has a written code to guarantee good working conditions, are trustful in their promotion, are oriented towards environmental issues and keen on local economy?

Switzerland Netherlands

I see it as an investment for future generations 71.2 26.5

I feel morally better 63.6 29.5

I feel one of the authors of degradation and therefore I want to provide at least financial sustenance

60.1 24.1

I see it as a charity offer 50.5 15.7

It is one of my personal obligation (morally obliged) 27.8 26.5

I do not know where to invest my money 17.2 0.6

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Percentage

South AfricaGermany

Ethical tourism orientation of respondents

yes no no opinion

Sould people know about ethical tourism?

Swiss respondents

8%

25%

67%

yes m ay be no

50

41

9

54

13

33

South Africa

Germany

Netherlands

Switzerland

yes no no opinion

Should people be ethical while on trip?

Swiss respondents

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Percentage

Yes No Don't know

71%

6%

23%

yes no m ay be

Should people be ethical while on trip?

54

14

32

GermanySouth Africa

Netherlands

Switzerland

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Tourism ethics in hospitality and tourism related journals, 1990-2006.

Year Number of articles

1990- 1999 6

2000 0

2001 0

2002 5

2003 8

2004 9

2005 8

2006 4

Total 40

Source: Adapted from Lynn (2007).

Dissemination of the Code of Ethics for Tourism to stakeholders

http://www.world-tourism.org/code_ethics/pdf/A_16_20%20Add1_e.pdf

Alternative tourism

Ethical tourism

Niche tourism

Mass tourism

Sustainable tourism

TOURISM

Alternative tourism

Ethical tourism

Niche tourism

Mass tourism

Sustainable tourism

TOURISM

ETHICSFrom niches to the mass

Abstract: Tourism is growing and so are its concerns. Under the umbrella of sustainable tourism several forms of tourism have emerged as alternatives to mass tourism. The conceptualization of ethical tourism in this paper calls for tourism concerns beyond niche markets, towards the exposure of tourism ethics to the mass tourists. An instrument was used to assess the ethical attitude of respondents towards ethical tourism. The results indicate that respondents are not ethical in their tourism orientation; however, the aspiration to become ethical was acknowledged through, among others, their willingness to pay more to secure some ethical criteria, and their predisposition to support ethical tourism. The acknowledged deficit of ethics in tourism calls for more tourism ethics exposure.

Economic Growth

Environmental Protection

SocialDevelopment

Sustainable Tourism

Ethics in tourism as conducive to sustainable tourism for the mass market.

Guests

Hosts

Tour Operators

Ethical Stakeholders

Ethical Tourism

As tourism is a global phenomenon, critics of alternative types of tourism have indicated a need to go beyond niche marketing, into incorporating ethics in tourism in general (e.g., Butler, 1998; Klemm, 1992; Sharpley, 2000; Tribe, 2002; Liu, 2003).