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Free Willy: the whale‐watching legacy

Stephen Wearing (School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism, Faculty of Business, University of Technology Sydney, Lindfield, Australia)
Anne Buchmann (Newcastle Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia)
Chantelle Jobberns (School of Leisure, Sport and Tourism, Faculty of Business, University of Technology Sydney, Lindfield, Australia)

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes

ISSN: 1755-4217

Article publication date: 12 April 2011

1139

Abstract

Purpose

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The purpose of this paper is to explore contemporary issues in film tourism with reference to the growth in related tourism fields.

Design/methodology/approach

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The paper examines the relationship between growth in dolphin and whale watching and the popularity of the Free Willy series of films.

Findings

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Observes that films can significantly influence aspects of ecotourism, especially in terms of the expectations of tourists.

Practical implications

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The paper illustrates how new tourism niche markets are strongly influenced by nature‐related films and discusses the implications for tourism stakeholders.

Originality/value

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The paper reviews and reveals the potential for film‐induced ecotourism.

Keywords

Citation

Wearing, S., Buchmann, A. and Jobberns, C. (2011), "Free Willy: the whale‐watching legacy", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 127-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/17554211111122998

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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