Birding Trails as Sustainable Tourism Development

Abstract

The growth and popularity of birding has provided many communities, regions and countries with new economic income. As a result, many places are keen to attract more birdwatchers and develop this niche segment of tourism. Birding trails seem to be a viable and sustainable tourism development option. Prior to this article, no previous literature has been written on assessing if birding trails are actually sustainable or if they can function as a form of sustainable tourism development. Through 10 in-depth semi-structured interviews with (5 birding and 5 other types of tourism trail) trail managers, the research aimed to determine how sustainable are such trails within the definition of sustainable development. The perspectives and understanding of "sustainability" by trail mangers and operators was the focal point of the research. Results indicate that most trail managers and operators overlooked some aspect of sustainability; whether environmental, economic or socio-cultural. It seems that environmental aspects of sustainability were usually first mentioned and prioritized by trail managers, particularly birding trail operators. Most trail managers overlooked economic sustainability and many were unable to meet operating costs. The research determined that birding trails can indeed function as sustainable tourism development if all three pillars of sustainability are incorporated into the development process. A series of recommendations are provided in the discussion chapter that list what elements should be taken into account when planning and managing a birding trail to ensure sustainability.

Keywords: birding trail, bird-watching, sustainable development, sustainability, tourism