Wildlife and kangaroo watching tourism the way forward!
When the commercial kangaroo kill is finally ended, the few jobs and export dollars lost can be replaced many times over by tourism opportunities. Visitors will come to see large mobs of kangaroos in their natural environment. Studies have shown that viewing large mobs of kangaroos and associated wildlife would be a world-class tourism experience, greatly enhancing the outback tourism adventure for overseas visitors.
The arguments that we now hear to support the kangaroo industry are the same ones as those previously used to support whaling. Those arguments emphasised jobs and export dollars and promised there would be large numbers of whales left. However, there were not large numbers of whales left. The humpbacks are slowly recovering but some species may never recover. Whale watching now brings in many more millions of dollars a year to local communities than was ever produced by the commercial whaling industry.
The common perception in Australia is that native animals in their natural abundance must be a pest and therefore have no value alive. Australia lags behind many third world countries that have recognised the intrinsic value of wildlife in their natural habitat long ago. That recognition has grown into a worldwide viable sustainable tourism industry. This win-win solution is clearly evident in other countries through ventures such as safari tours in South Africa, Harp Seal watching in Canada, as well as whale, manatee, dolphin, Polar Bear and bird watching around the world.
Opportunities have been realised by some Australian operators, who now conduct popular ventures such as crocodile watching, whale watching and spotlight tours. The Kangaroo Island koalas, Rottnest Island Quokkas and the evening emergence flight of the little Bent-Wing Bats leaving their maternity cave at Mt Etna in Queensland are all very popular. However, many opportunities remain untouched, especially in relation to kangaroo watching. Current international marketing tourism strategies are mostly restricted to native animals in captivity rather than free ranging animals in their natural habitat. The link between kangaroos and tourism provides a real opportunity to benefit the rural community in the same way some African communities are benefiting from eco tourism. Further potential can be easily found.
The value of kangaroos in tourism was the subject of a recent survey, which showed that the kangaroo image is second only to the Statue of Liberty. American tourists in Australia were asked to identify 20 world tourism icons. The top 5 were: the Statue of Liberty, the Kangaroo, the Eiffel Tower, the Koala and the Canadian Moose. As part of the study, International travelers to Australia were polled at Brisbane and Sydney airports.
Significant findings include that half of the International tourists stated that they wanted to see kangaroos or other wildlife as part of their visit to Australia. A quarter of the respondents reported that they had not seen the kangaroos they wanted to see during their visit. There is little information available to international tourists on where to see kangaroos in the wild.
For those fortunate people who have seen large mobs of kangaroos in their natural habitat, it is a magnificent and never-to-be forgotten experience. Some Australian wildlife groups are currently working on strategic planning to promote Australia’s national icon in tourism. These groups believe that there should be a list of accredited operators and other information freely available internationally, so that tourists from overseas can plan their wildlife tours from the comfort of their homes, before they even leave their own country.
Their strategic planning will also be focusing on establishing access to free ranging kangaroos for the international visitor and establishing recognition of the value of kangaroos and other native animals to the domestic economy through international tourism. The small, usually family owned and operated wildlife watching operators need to receive more assistance and support from government tourism bodies.
Some farmers have already opened up their properties to visitors and take tourists out to see mobs of wild kangaroos. Accreditation and marketing strategies need to be developed. With Australian tourism currently having an annual consumptive value of $63 billion in 2002, Australians may come to recognise the intrinsic value of their national symbol, the kangaroo, through the eyes of international tourists. If not, it may be too late for the kangaroo.
Above, is this a sustainable future for our kangaroos? A hot air balloon packed with tourists drifts over a small mob of kangaroos at the Belconnen Naval Site in Canberra, where th government wants to kill the kangaroos to build houses! Click here for more info on kangaroo watching tourism! Click here to jump to kangaroo home page!
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