Neves, J., den Hollander, J., Castro, J. (2026). Values, Beliefs and Pro-Conservation Dispositions in Marine Tourism: Comparing Marine Park and Whale Watching Visitors in Portugal. ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ฎ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ช๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด. https://doi.org/10.3727/216901926X17748555226651
A new scientific article co-authored by AIMM explores how different marine tourism experiences can influence how people think about ocean conservation.
By comparing whale watching and marine park visits in the Algarve, the study shows that people who choose whale watching often already have a stronger connection to nature and the wildlife. This means that what visitors bring with them is just as important as the experience itself in shaping conservation behaviours.ย
Still, both types of experiences play an important role in raising awareness and encouraging people to care about the ocean.
This work was developed with our student Janneke Hollander, in collaboration with Zoomarine and our partners AlgarExperience, highlighting a shared commitment to marine conservation through science and responsible tourism.