DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF WILDLIFE WATCHING AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Transcription

1 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF WILDLIFE WATCHING AND PHOTOGRAPHY Working group: Jaana Keränen, Wild Taiga Eero Kortelainen, Erä-Eero Esa-Mikko Lappalainen, Haapaniemen Matkailu Reijo Lappalainen, Haapaniemen Matkailu Jani Määttä, Martinselkosen Eräkeskus Ulla Matturi, Avescon Jari Peltomäki, Finnature Leena Penttinen, Kainuun ammattikorkeakoulu Lassi Rautiainen, Articmedia Lassi Rautiainen ky Nina Vesterinen, Matkailun teemaryhmä Ulla-Maija Pakarinen, Matkailun edistämiskeskus Minna Myyrinmaa, Matkailun edistämiskeskus

2 1. The current status of wildlife watching and photography in Finland In order to guarantee coordinated development of Finland's tourism services as defined in Finland's Tourism Strategy 2020 (Ministry of Trade and Industry 2006), themed national product development programmes are being drafted. The key values of the development programmes are profitable, year-round business activities, sustainable tourism, safety, fulfilling of customer value propositions and Finnishness. Wildlife watching and photography (later simply referred to as wildlife activities) have been designated as one of the themes to be developed in the national Outdoors Finland activity development programme. The theme is still relatively new, and no extensive development work has taken place yet. The present development strategy has been drafted in collaboration with experts of the field. Definitions Wildlife tourism Observing, watching, listening and taking photographs in a natural environment on land or at sea Birds Large predators Other mammals Plants Natural sights Wildlife watching and photography is a part of wildlife activities and wildlife tourism. It is an activity that comprises watching, observing, listening to and photographing wild animals in their natural environment and in accordance with the principles of sustainable tourism. It also involves conservation of nature and conveying of information on animals, plants and other elements of the natural environment. A wildlife tourism product includes an observation/photography site selected in accordance with the target group and target species, and professional guidance in small groups. Other services, such as the use of a watching hut/tower, meals, accommodation, airport transport, sauna, insurance, etc., can be made a part of the product or they can be separate services. Examples of local culture, local sights and attractions, sounds, sceneries, flora and fauna are also an important element of the product. The journey to the observation site (wilderness, national park, bird migration route, etc.) can be made, for example, by walking, by canoe or on horseback. All tourism products and services must be implemented in a sustainable way, safely and in harmony with nature. However, the interests of other industries, such as reindeer husbandry, must also be taken into account.

3 The working group has excluded from this study the underwater environment and species that so far have little importance for tourism. Current status Bird tourism, a globally growing industry, has been developed professionally in Finland since the early 1990s. European bird societies have over 20 million members, and the approximate global number of bird hobbyists is 70 million (United Kingdom's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds alone has more than one million members). The most popular species for bird watching and photography in Finland are owls, eagles and other birds of prey, woodpeckers, grouse, eastern passeriformes (Siberian jay, Siberian tit, red-flanked bluetail, rustic bunting, parrot crossbill, etc.) and certain waders and aquatic bird species. Finland is visited annually by more than one thousand bird tourists who spend a total of more than one million euros during their stay in Finland. Bird tourists spend approximately one week in Finland, often making round trips and tours. They spend approximately euros per day. Finland has about five companies that focus solely on arranging guided bird excursions. The investment needs of bird tourism are relatively small. Nature tourism that focuses on large predators has developed in Finland in recent years. Expectations are high for this branch of tourism in various parts of Finland. Nature photography and wildlife watching are practised especially in the eastern municipalities of Finland, where animals are lured to the watching sites by means of food (carrion). Camouflaged observation huts are positioned near the feeding sites and are used for photographing, listening to and watching the predators that come to the carrion. The products and services are produced by the landowners who own the land as well as by tenants. The most popular large predators are bears, wolverines and wolves. Other popular species include elks, beavers, Russian flying squirrels and bats. In a survey made in summer 2008, contact information was found for 18 nature tourism companies and 10 nature photographers. The average age of the companies is approximately six years. The oldest company started offering wildlife watching and photography products and services in Four of the companies that participated in the survey had been founded in On average, the companies employ 1.4 full-time employees. During the high season the companies employ an average of 3.1 full-time employees. The total number of employees in the companies that participated in the study was 18 full-time and 41 seasonal workers. The companies use over 100 observation huts. A majority of the huts are suitable for both observation and photography. The most important partners for the companies offering wildlife watching and photography services are the organisations that are in charge of regional tourism marketing and other combined marketing efforts. The companies also collaborate with other companies that

4 offer wildlife watching and photography services and other tourist services. International tour operators are also important partners. For more information, please see the Finnish Tourist Board's 2008 report Wildlife Watching and Photography as a Tourist Product: Initial Survey. Important tourist destinations Finland has 96 Important Bird Areas (IBA bird sanctuaries). The most popular bird tourism route is from Oulu to Kuusamo. Other important bird tourist destinations are Liminganlahti (a nesting and resting site), Kuusamo (a meeting point of eastern and northern species), Siikalahti in Parikkala, Patvinsuo and the seaside archipelago. From Kuusamo, bird tourists usually continue via Lapland and Norway to the Arctic Ocean. The largest bird-watching event in Finland is the internationally noted Kuusamo Bird Race in June. The most important areas for observing mammals are Northern Karelia (Lieksa-Nurmes), Kainuu (Kuhmo-Suomussalmi), Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia (Kuusamo), Southwest Finland and the areas around Lake Saimaa. Large predators can be spotted especially on the eastern border from Northern Karelia to Kuusamo, while beavers are watched primarily in Southern and Eastern Finland. The west coast in Southwest Finland and Northern Ostrobothnia is an important seal area, while Lake Saimaa is famous for its ringed seals. The Petola Nature Centre in Kuhmo provides information about the large predators of Finland. Wildlife products and services elsewhere in the world The Finnish wildlife products and services differ from international wildlife products and services in many ways, such as in the use of camouflaged observation huts. Wildlife tourism as a whole extends from observing and photographing animals in their natural environments and national parks to activities undertaken in closed areas reserved for animals, such as aquariums, parks and zoos. Observing and photographing nature are important motives for travelling. The volume of global wildlife tourism has been estimated at 12 million trips per year. Half of these trips are made to Africa. Some countries depend on wildlife tourism. Kenya, for example, earns 500 million dollars (approximately 14 percent of its GDP) from wildlife tourism annually, and places such as the Galapagos Islands are entirely dependent on this form of tourism. The range of products offered globally is extensive: from luxury safaris in Kenya to hiking excursions in the Rocky Mountains, polar bear watching in Spitzbergen, observation of bears, sea lions, seals and walruses in the Kamchatka Peninsula and cruises on the Antarctic Ocean. The most typical form of wildlife tourism in Africa is the safari, where animals are in their natural surroundings and tourists observe and photograph them in groups. Africa remains

5 the market leader of wildlife tourism. Half of all wildlife tourism trips are made to Africa, where the traditional destinations are South Africa, Kenya, Botswana and Tanzania. The large nature conservation areas of Northern America were established already in the 19 th century. The wilderness areas are extensive and the animal populations substantial. The use of carrion is not needed. From an ecological point of view, however, the habituation of animals to humans is worrisome. Extensive interview surveys completed in the United States indicate that 31 percent of the population between 16 and 60 years is interested in wildlife photography and wildlife watching to the extent that the hobby influences their holiday plans. Europe has a large number of nature enthusiasts who belong to nature clubs and associations and are potential customers of specialised nature tourism services. The United Kingdom alone has more than one million bird watchers who belong to different ornithological associations. Wildlife watching and photography are rapidly expanding to new geographic regions and target species. Two thirds of professional fishers in Iceland, for example, conduct whale watching tours in addition to professional fishing. Accommodation services with 3,000 beds are planned to be built on the monastery island of Solovetsky in the White Sea. The breeding grounds of belugas, also called the canary birds of the sea, are located in the immediate vicinity of the monastery island and add significantly to the interest of the island as a nature tourist destination. New destinations gaining in popularity include the Antarctic (for its whales, penguins and seals), Bolivia, New Zealand and Argentina. Hornborgasjön in Sweden is one of Europe's top sites for watching cranes and attracts approximately 150,000 tourists every year. 2. Future challenges and possibilities Finland's strengths in wildlife tourism are its low population density and extensive wilderness areas. Finland is still a "genuine" destination, where everyman's right guarantees unhindered access to wildlife watching sites and other nature destinations. Finland's cleanliness and safety, in everything from water, food and infrastructure to nature and society in general, including the low crime rate, are also very important factors to customers. Finland's rich, diverse and to some extent unique fauna, such as animals and birds of the coniferous forest belt, provide many possibilities for wildlife watching and photography. Finland's proximity to Russia means a steady supply of large predators, but the situation is changing as animal populations become smaller. The four seasons create different circumstances and situations. The luminous summer nights are a precondition for successful wildlife watching and photography products. For bird tourism, the key problem is the shortness of the season. In bird tourism, the popularity of independent travel is increasing at a rapid pace, while the number of group excursions arranged by tour operators is falling. This development

6 necessitates the opening up of existing products, new pricing strategies and more efficient online sales. In the eastern areas the word taiga creates a positive marketing image. Finland's wildlife opportunities, products and services remain, however, very little known; strong imagebased marketing efforts would be very helpful. Finland also has a strong nature photography culture that cannot be found on the same scale elsewhere in Europe. The entrepreneurs and guides are skilled. Profitability is, however, a problem for many, with limited capacity adding further challenges especially in the case of big groups. The shortage of good employees, especially in the more remote areas of the countryside, is a serious threat to business activities in the future. The number of products offered is still relatively small. More information on both current and prospective customers is needed to support product development, and more accurate data on new species to be observed is also required. As the industry grows, the establishing of shared criteria becomes more and more important. Shared standards would support the entrepreneurs' development activities, guarantee a certain level of quality, contribute to a positive image of Finland and aid marketing. It must also be noted that Finland has excellent opportunities for developing wintertime products, where the key elements would be birds of prey, forest birds, wintery landscapes and phenomena such as unique snow conditions, tracks in the snow, wolverines, wolves and a night spent "in the bear's nest". Regional co-operation and collaboration between different activities would also extend the time the tourists spend in Finland. Other natural phenomena besides the animals also remain a largely untapped potential. Creating an individual product out of a nature sight is challenging, but it is very helpful as a key attraction when successful. For the most promising areas, wildlife tourism centres could be established with the help of zoning plans. Finland's location and its relatively good network of air connections create the possibility of marketing weekend trips for the key market areas. Flight-car packages have not been fully utilised yet in connection with wildlife products and services. The popularity of multi-activity packages is also increasing, and new products could be developed by combining wildlife watching with other nature activities. The number of families with children using the services is increasing, but attractions and destinations intended for the entire family are still lacking. Developing them would require closer regional collaboration between companies offering tourist products and services. The quality (level of comfort) demanded by customers is already relatively high, and adds to the pressure for entrepreneurs to build new, more comfortable observation huts and accommodation services. Many wildlife watching and photography sites are far from the main roads and cities. As the industry grows, the accessibility of each region and individual observation site must be improved, and this requires collaboration with authorities. Envy and conflicts between individual entrepreneurs and various interest groups should be turned into positive collaboration. Interest groups should be invited to participate in developing the industry. Clear signals of commitment to using the forests in other ways

7 besides logging are needed on all levels of various organisations. Joint development projects have been difficult to carry out because of administrative limitations related to the financing of the projects. The current EU project period, however, provides more possibilities for carrying out projects that involve many regions. Companies have a desire to keep developing their activities. Those companies that offer programme services must be aware of the environmental impacts caused by their activities and understand the principles of sustainable tourism. All products must be designed and implemented in such a way that their potentially harmful impacts are minimised. Long-term rental agreements and lighter legal procedures related to the buying and selling of land to support the wildlife industry must be promoted. Investments to be carried out in the near future include new observation huts for photographers, new accommodation services such as hotels (especially important), renovation of existing facilities (heating, electricity), marketing, and the purchase of new equipment. The number of both customers and full-time employees is expected to grow. Skilled guides also contribute to safety. Finland has interpreted EU's animal by-products regulation in a positive way concerning the feeding of bears. For large predators, our so-called number one product is prohibited elsewhere. For us to be able to continue these activities, the authorities must be made aware that the wildlife product is also a potential product of the future. Legislation should not prohibit altogether the feeding of animals that is intended to lure them to the observation sites. Conflicts with local hunters have also occurred as hunting season takes place simultaneously with the best wildlife watching seasons and the holiday periods of international customers. Matching the realities of current forestry policies with nature conservation standpoints is also a challenge. 3. Main markets and their key areas The main market areas are defined according to the following criteria: overnight holiday stays, holiday spending in Finland, use of wildlife tourism services, interest and strategies of the wildlife tourism industry in Finland, accessibility, and general development trends. The most important target countries for products and services focusing on the observation of mammals are: 1. the United Kingdom, 2. the Netherlands, 3. German-speaking parts of Europe Other potential countries include Spain, Italy, Japan, Norway, France and Sweden. Russia's potential requires closer inspection. The primary target countries for bird tourism are the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The number of tourists coming from the USA and Japan has decreased because of the increase in prices. Growing market areas include Italy, France and Spain. The effects of the economic recession on the market areas are being monitored. Customer figures have seen a significant increase: approximately 81 percent between 2005 and The 2008 figures indicate continuing growth, but it must be noted that the figures only cover the first eight months of the year.

8 Estimates made by companies that offer wildlife products and services show that approximately one fifth of their customers are professional photographers, a little more than 50 percent nature enthusiasts, and approximately 25 percent tourists or casual visitors. The average time the customers spent in the locality of each company was four to five days. A typical bird tourist is about 65 years old, well-travelled and quality-conscious. He or she spends an average of one week in the destination, is demanding but is also ready to pay for services provided. Hotel accommodation, three course menus and wine lists are the standard. Products currently offered The majority of products currently offered are available during the seasons when the ground is not frozen, although some winter products are also available. Most of the products were short, one- or two-day packages, although one photography excursion lasting four to six days and one observation package lasting seven days were also offered. The product with the longest duration available was a 14-day bird watching excursion. Customising and tailoring of products is not unusual. Competition For large predators, new competing countries include Estonia, Sweden, Romania and Bulgaria. For bird watching and photography, the primary competitors are Hungary, Estonia (Latvia and Lithuania), Poland and Sweden. 4. Objectives for Many types of safe, high-quality, demand-driven products along with the associated service network are available via both domestic and international tourism distribution channels. Companies that provide services are developing their operations profitably while at the same time improving their competitiveness and skills. The number of customers and the income they bring have increased. The growth targets of the wildlife tourism industry are higher than the targets of tourism in general. The revenues of existing companies is expected to increase by percent annually (in 2007, the eight companies in Finland shared a total of 4,000 customers). The number of companies is also expected to double. 5. Key areas for development Key points for development include improved accessibility, product development, skills development, stronger support of wildlife activities and developing of marketing collaboration. The measures shall be implemented using means such as improved use of

9 existing fund allocations, more efficient procedures and operations, EU project funding and contributions from individual entrepreneurs. For more information, please see the Wildlife Tourism Action Plan