Lessons learned from evaluation of an eco-tour designed to support the conservation works for wild birds

Abstract

An eco-tour designed to support the conservation works for wild birds is complemented in Hiroshima area. We clarified using two questionnaire surveys how the tour is evaluated. The survey for Hiroshima citizens shows that one forth of them express interest in the tour, instead of their blindness of the targeted birds. They accept a conservational value or an educational value of the tour. On the other hand, the survey for the tour participants shows that they are mainly the bird lovers, and that their evaluation of the tour are dependent on whether they could watch the targeted birds or not. In these surveys we could estimate the amount of money which one tourist is willing to pay at 1000 to 3000 yen per one tour. It is necessary to improve tour programs and rethink about effective means of advertising, based on the results of these surveys.