The Business of Nature-based Tourism

Nature-based tourism, which includes ecotourism, adventure tourism, outdoor-oriented educational tourism and a whole host of other types of outdoor-oriented, non-mass tourism experiences, is the fastest-growing segment of the tourism industry in Australia and New Zealand. But the failure rate of nature-based tourism ventures is high and many that do manage to survive could be much more profitable than they are. This book is a highly practical text which addresses the problems that affect the viability of nature-based tourism operations. It is unashamedly marketing-oriented and is designed to give the reader an understanding of the range of research, planning, financial, marketing and operational skills needed to develop and successfully operate nature-based tourism businesses. Like other businesses, a nature-based tourism business will only be successful if it knows who its clients are and understands their motives, and if it has sound financial management systems in place; but nature-based tourism operators also face a number of financial challenges which are unique to the sector. After all relevant aspects of financial management have been explained, the book's later chapters deal with marketing, the practicalities of developing and delivering tours, management systems and the ethical issues involved in running nature-based tourism businesses. The book is designed for the operators of nature-based tourism businesses and for students of tourism management.