New research from the University of Pretoria (UP) suggests that the future of nature-based tourism may depend less on the Big Five, and more on the unexpected. A pilot study by UP’s Mammal Research Institute (MRI) has found that tourists experience stronger unconscious emotional reactions to novel wildlife sightings, especially birds and reptiles, than to repeated sightings of iconic four-legged animals. The findings come from a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the MRI and German ambulatory assessment specialists Movisens GmbH.
Using wearable sensors, the team measured tourists’ real-time physiological responses while on safari, including minute changes in skin conductance triggered by the activation of sweat glands. “Most global tourism research relies on memory-based interviews and surveys,” said PhD researcher Bruce Crossey, who led the study. “Our method measures psychological arousal directly and in real time, avoiding the biases of self-reporting.” Psychological arousal refers to a person’s level of alertness, from calm to excited or fearful.
According to the study, 10 of the 12 participants showed significantly higher electrodermal activity during wildlife sightings, with the biggest spikes recorded during encounters with birds and reptiles. “These results challenge conventional wisdom,” Crossey said. “Tour operators often assume charismatic megafauna like lions and elephants drive tourist satisfaction, but novelty appears to play a more critical role.”
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