Interactional theory and the sustainable nature-based tourism experience

Abstract

Two complementary studies were conducted to investigate both the immediate and long-term influence of Grand Canyon National Park multi-day commercial whitewater rafting experiences on participants' knowledge of the host protected area, attitudes toward management issues facing the host protected area, and environmental behaviors and future intentions. Through the use of multiple regression models, this investigation also explored the influence of tour and tourist characteristics on these outcomes to test and refine an interactional model. Results suggest that nature-based tourism operators can be efficacious partners for resource managers in providing experiences that educate the public to the importance of protected areas. In addition, the interactional model provided a useful framework for investigating the influence of tourist and tour characteristics on experiential outcomes and ultimately the sustainability of protected areas. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.