Mass ecotourism, media, and wildlife experience

Mass ecotourism (i.e., standardized and mediated nature and wildlife experiences offered to a large number of tourists) represents a large proportion of the international ecotourism market. We assess how tourist expectations in a mass ecotourism setting are shaped by representations of nature and wildlife in popular media, as well as participants' general interest in nature. Using an on-site two-wave assessment of seal-watching tours in the German Wadden Sea we further explore how these factors impact tourists' behavioral intentions. We find that eco media consumption significantly influences expectations and leads to disappointment with the wildlife experience in question, while a higher general interest in nature appears to mediate disappointment by providing more realistic expectations. Conclusions point to the need for better management of tourist expectations and experiences for tour operators, and to further research on mass ecotourism in general. Management implications: Our findings shall help tour operators in mass ecotourism to better manage visitor experiences: