Preferences of Australian and Chinese tourists for behavioural restrictions during snorkelling in Fiji: implications for marine environmental conservation

This study explores the preferences of Australian and Chinese tourists for restrictions on marine-based tourism activities in Fiji. Given the importance of marine ecosystems in the Pacific, for both ecological and economic outcomes, and potential consequences of tourists on these systems, restrictions on tourist behaviour during recreational activities could be important policy mechanisms. Such restrictions need to consider the impacts on tourist welfare. Understanding how tourists view these restrictions may be helpful in formulating policies that balance these impacts. However, there has been limited research on these issues in the Pacific. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) approach was used to quantify how much Australian and Chinese tourists would be impacted by different restrictions on the characteristics of a snorkelling trip. We identify that segments of Australian and Chinese tourists vary in their preferences for behavioural restrictions. For example, Chinese tourists oppose restrictions on the use of underwater cameras, whereas for Australian tourists it has no impact on their welfare. Our results suggest that some restrictions on recreational activities would improve the condition of the marine environment in Fiji without reducing the value and attractiveness of activities to both classes of tourists. The broader applicability of results to other destinations deserves further investigation.