Environmental ethics for tourism- the state of the art

Abstract

Purpose Environmental ethics has become an established subject of philosophy in recent decades in response to the contemporary environmental crisis. This paper aims to provide an overview of the key theories and concepts and critically evaluate the extent of their application in tourism studies. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a systematic literature review of published academic papers that link environmental ethics to tourism. It subsequently attempts to provide a comprehensive review of what is currently a nascent field of research enquiry to comprehend and evaluate the relevance and implications of environmental ethics for tourism. Using a theoretical ethical framework of libertarian extensionism, eco-holism and the conservation ethic, moral debates that arise from their use in tourism are analysed. As a field of academic study that presently lacks research enquiry areas for future research investigation are subsequently identified. Findings The paper forms a part of the “State of the Art” series and subsequently does not present empirical findings. However, through critical evaluation, it demonstrates the complexity of the application of environmental ethics to tourism through differing perspectives within the subject and when nature’s interests are juxtaposed to concerns of anthropic ethics. To develop a stronger environmental ethics amongst tourism stakeholders that recognises the intrinsic value of nature, it is recommended that ecological virtue and literacy are key elements in this process. Originality/value The originality of the paper rests in providing a comprehensive overview of the existing level of application of the theories of environmental ethics to tourism; the appliance of theory to debates of tourism’s environmental challenges; and identifying research directions to help fill knowledge gaps.

Ecotourism intention: the roles of environmental concern, time perspective and destination image

“…The finding into the significant impact of environmental concern on ecotourism intention is consistent with previous research which investigates the relationship between pro- abstract concept which is reflected by their environmental concern for which this study confirms as a critical factor contributing to ecotourism intention. Similarly, it can be said that this finding supports the view by Holden (2019) presented in his systematic review that advocates the role of environmental ethics and the need for environmental ethics education in tourism.…”

“…5, pp. 1168-1179 World Bank 2019 This finding contributes to the current movement in the tourism literature which calls for a shift to environmental ethics as a critical driving factor for sustainable tourism (Bertella, 2019;Holden, 2019) Public organisations should encourage greater awareness of the importance of environmental protection through education, propaganda and media.…”

Justice and ethics: towards a new platform for tourism and sustainability

“…A critical examination of the tourism knowledge base at the start of the 21 st century shows a predominance of modernist, primarily growth-driven, anthropocentric and Eurocentric approach to tourism, obfuscating "other" discourses (e.g., Indigenous, critical, Marxist discourses). Animal welfare and nature's rights have languished (see Holden, 2019), but the new century has brought greater diversity in tourism scholarship and new challenges. Caton (2016), for instance, describes the human-centric approach to humanism that ascribes positive value and moral worth to human beings, but notes also the rise of posthumanism since the 1980s, which is non dualist, immanent (not transcendental), and relational with human and non-human others (Keeling & Lehman, 2018).…”

“…A number of other important issues tend to be overshadowed by a neoliberal agenda, such as the commercial uses of animals for tourism and the development of approaches to animal justice. Attention to the area of animal welfare is growing slowly, while little is being said on the rights of Nature (Holden, 2019). Noting this, David Fennell and Valerie Sheppard propose a 'scales of justice' framework for animals used in tourism, contrasting two different normative ethics models: a conventional model that includes deontology and consequentialism, versus a model rooted in virtue ethics.…”

The ethics of experimental research employing intrusive technologies in tourism: A collaborative ethnography perspective

“…neuroscience equipment) to obtain participant responses to wildlife tourism images and videos in a laboratory setting. The consideration to replicate wildlife tourism experiences in an experimental manner was an ethical decision in and of itself, based on recent studies alluding to the challenges arising from physical human-wildlife encounters (see for instance Holden, 2019; Notzke, 2016). As such, the collective decision to simulate wildlife tourism using videos and photos informed the experimental setting and design.…”