Wildlife Tourism in Germany

Exploring the domestic wildlife tourism market in Germany - an analysis of the country's wildlife tourism potential and its link to wildlife conservation

Bachelor Thesis , 2011 , 158 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Tourism - Miscellaneous

Domestic tourism is growing rapidly in many European
countries and due to the diversification and individualisation of western society (FUR, n.d.) tourism
niche markets are gaining in importance (Petermann, Revermann & Scherz, 2006). Wildlife tourism
is such a niche market and is worldwide one of the fastest-growing ones (Mintel International
Group LTD, 2008a). Western Europeans in specific have “developed an unprecedented affinity for
daytrips or holidays in natural areas” (Van Egmond, 2008, p. 85) and wildlife watching is one of the
key reasons why people visit natural areas (Mintel International Group LTD, 2008a). Several
European countries have already established an impressive range of
wildlife-based tours. Wolf howling tours in Italy and bear tracking tours in the Carpathian Mountains
are steadily gaining popularity among tourists (Hofrichter & Berger, 2004) and the Canary Islands
record over one million whale watching participants per year (Hoyt, 2000). Interestingly Germany is
one of the biggest markets for outbound wildlife tourism (Mintel International Group LTD, 2008a)
and for 35 percent of all Germans the possibility to watch animals is an important criterion in
deciding on the holiday destination (Wilfing et al, 2008). However, no attempt has been made to
analyse the situation and potential of wildlife tourism in Germany.

This document assesses the background, situation, importance and potential of domestic wildlife tourism in
Germany and explores its link to wildlife conservation. Moreover, it provides information on how to
establish wildlife tourism in Germany that benefits both tourism and conservation actors. As this
topic has not been discussed earlier this thesis can be regarded as a cornerstone in the analysis of
the domestic wildlife tourism market in Germany and the author has made extensive efforts to
obtain in-depth information. Two online surveys were conducted to gain insights into the wants,
needs, motivation and particularities of current and potential German wildlife tourists and their
interest in wildlife conservation. Participant observation and face-to-face interviews with tour
participants and tour guides during three wildlife-based tours and interviews with tourism, wildlife
and conservation experts permitted valuable insights into the possibilities and limitations of
domestic wildlife tourism in Germany. Intensive desk research completed the picture.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Preface and acknowledgements
• Executive summary
• List of abbreviations
• Chapter 1 – Introduction to the thesis topic
  • 1.1 Problem analysis
  • 1.2 Goal and research questions
  • 1.3 Methodology
  • 1.4 Limitations and challenges
  • 1.5 Structure
• Chapter 2 – Wildlife tourism and conservation – the theory
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 What is wildlife tourism?
  • 2.3 What is wildlife conservation?
  • 2.4 Determinants in the relationship between wildlife tourism and conservation
    • 2.4.1 Impacts
    • 2.4.2 Protected areas and visitor management
    • 2.4.3 Society’s attitude towards the natural environment
  • 2.5 Conclusion and implications for further research
• Chapter 3 – Wildlife and conservation in Germany – the background
  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Wildlife in Germany
    • 3.2.1 Wildlife species
    • 3.2.2 Vulnerability of wildlife
    • 3.2.3 Conflicts with wildlife and wildlife management
    • 3.2.4 Main threats to wildlife
  • 3.3 Conservation in Germany
    • 3.3.1 Conservation legislation
    • 3.3.2 Actors in conservation
    • 3.3.3 Protected areas and visitor management
    • 3.3.4 Barriers to conservation
  • 3.4 Conclusion and link to research goal
• Chapter 4 – Wildlife tourism in Germany – the situation
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Tourism in Germany
  • 4.3 Current wildlife tourism demand
    • 4.3.1 Results from the online survey
    • 4.3.2 Characteristics of wildlife watching and interpretation tour participants
    • 4.3.3 Typology of German wildlife tourists
  • 4.4 Current wildlife tourism supply
    • 4.4.1 Suppliers of wildlife-based products
    • 4.4.2 Characteristics of wildlife-based products
    • 4.4.3 Impacts of wildlife-based products
  • 4.5 Conclusion and link to research goal
• Chapter 5 – Wildlife tourism in Germany – the future
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Trends and developments
  • 5.3 Future wildlife tourism demand
    • 5.3.1 Growth rate
    • 5.3.2 Awareness and knowledge of German wildlife
    • 5.3.3 Interest in domestic wildlife-based tours
    • 5.3.4 Expectations and appreciation of domestic wildlife-based tours
    • 5.3.5 Interest in wildlife conservation tours
    • 5.3.6 Preference for characteristics
  • 5.4 Future wildlife tourism supply
    • 5.4.1 Cooperation possibilities
    • 5.4.2 Distribution of wildlife species
  • 5.5 Conclusion and link to research goal
• Chapter 6 – Possibilities, limitations and recommendations
  • 6.1 Possibilities and limitations of domestic wildlife tourism in Germany
  • 6.2 Recommendations

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The main objective of this thesis is to analyze the potential of domestic wildlife tourism in Germany, considering both market growth and its contribution to wildlife conservation. It aims to provide insights into the characteristics of German wildlife tourists and the existing wildlife-based tourism products, identifying possibilities and limitations for future development.

• The characteristics of German wildlife tourists and their motivations.
• The current state and potential of the domestic wildlife tourism market in Germany.
• The relationship between wildlife tourism and wildlife conservation in Germany.
• The impacts of wildlife-based tourism on wildlife and their habitats.
• Recommendations for the sustainable development of wildlife tourism in Germany.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 introduces the research topic, highlighting the growing global wildlife tourism market and the lack of research on Germany's potential. The research goals and methodology (desk research, surveys, interviews, participant observation) are detailed, along with limitations.

Chapter 2 provides theoretical background on wildlife tourism and conservation, defining key terms and exploring the complex relationship between the two. It examines the impacts of tourism (positive and negative), the role of protected areas, and the influence of societal attitudes towards nature.

Chapter 3 focuses on the context of wildlife and conservation in Germany, detailing wildlife species, their vulnerability, conflicts with humans, and major threats. It covers conservation legislation, key actors, protected areas, and barriers to conservation.

Chapter 4 analyzes the current situation of wildlife tourism in Germany. It examines the domestic tourism market, profiles German wildlife tourists through survey data and interviews, and characterizes existing wildlife-based tourism products and their providers. The chapter also assesses the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts of these products.

Chapter 5 explores future trends and developments in wildlife tourism in Germany. It examines the potential growth of the market, analyzes public awareness and knowledge of German wildlife, and investigates the future demand and supply of wildlife-based tours, including cooperation possibilities.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This thesis explores the potential of domestic wildlife tourism in Germany, focusing on its contribution to wildlife conservation. Key terms and concepts include: wildlife tourism, wildlife conservation, German wildlife species (wolves, lynx, seals, etc.), environmental education, protected areas, visitor management, sustainable tourism, market analysis, and stakeholder cooperation. The study utilizes data from online surveys and interviews with tourism and conservation experts to analyze the German market and provide recommendations for future development.

• College: NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Colette Sosinski (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 158
• Catalog Number: V183455
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656077190
• ISBN (Book): 9783656077411
• Language: English
• Tags: Potential Analysis, Wildlife Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, Market Research, Germany, Nature Tourism, Potenzialanalyse, Tierbeobachtungsreisen, Nachhaltiger Tourismus, Öko-Tourismus, Marktforschung, Deutschland, Naturtourismus