Rethinking wildlife tourism: Perspectives of new animal geographies

This article identifies critical gaps in knowledge and practice that hinder the sustainable development of wildlife tourism. Through the lens of new animal geographies, this study advocates moving beyond framing animals as inert tourism resources, and proposes a redefined ethical framework for harmonious human–wildlife relations. Additionally, it emphasizes the spatial dynamics of wildlife tourism, namely how shared environments shape, and are shaped by, interspecies encounters, and calls for an “animal turn” in tourism research. Such a shift would prioritize nonhuman agency, reimagining tourism spaces as sites of ethical negotiation and mutual adaptation, while charting new trajectories for scholarship and practice. Several research questions are highlighted to inspire future research efforts.