Avistaje de elefantes marinos en Península Valdés, Argentina: Importancia y satisfacción desde la perspectiva de guías de turismo y turistas

Abstract

Nature-based tourism is increasing in recent decades. In Peninsula Valdes, Patagonia Argentina, Natural World Heritage area, the tourism is one of the main economic activities of the region, based on watching marine wildlife. The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) colony in Peninsula Valdes is the only continental in the southern hemisphere. The objectives of this study were to evaluate two bout groups of social actors linked to tourism (tourists and tour guides) the interest and their perception a watching elephant seals. Structured interviews to tour guides and tourists were used and developed a workshop for tour guides. Both groups agreed that watching wildlife is the main goal for the visit, and the southern right whale is the species that generates more interest, whereas the elephant seal is secondary. The experience of watching seals in their habitat was satisfactory in the different observation areas, being observation distance and number of animals, decisive factors in tourist satisfaction. Due to size, sexual dimorphism and behavior that characterizes to elephant seal it generates feelings of wonder and curiosity to the visitors and is an important resource during the guided tour. However, it is not sufficiently exploited as an opportunity to communicate conservation problems of the species or the marine habitat. The results are key tool to designing future management and planning strategies of tourism in Peninsula Valdes and adjacent areas.