Study on Sustainability of Ecotourism: A Case of Ecotour Guiding in Yakushima under COVID-19 Pandemic

CAI Na

doi:10.51059/nihonkanko.63.0_13

This paper examines the sustainability of ecotourism in Yakushima from the viewpoint of maintaining long term residents, based on the field research on eco-tour guides on the island. In order to clarify this, a questionnaire survey and interviews were conducted on their intentions as to whether they wish to leave or continue guiding under the Covid-19 pandemic. The results revealed that few guides considered leaving the island or changing their guiding profession in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Furthermore, we were unable to identify any significant differences in attribution between the guides who intended to stay in the guide position and those who did not. The results were examined by dividing the status of Yakushima eco-tour guides into four patterns such as 'considering side jobs or changing jobs,' 'taking a leave of absence', 'continuing,' and 'leaving the job or the 'island', and considered the situation of the guides under the pandemic.Based on the above, this paper clarified two points. First, by the gradual mode of business continuity in response to the shrinking tourism market, the eco-tour guides in Yakushima were able to cope with the tourism recession in the Corona Disaster. Second, the shrinkage of the tourism market in the islands was redefined as 'the transition period to an appropriate market size' from the viewpoint of the sustainability of ecotourism

Study on Sustainability of Ecotourism: A Case of Ecotour Guiding in Yakushima under COVID-19 Pandemic

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