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Preferences of Experiential Fishing Tourism in a Marine Protected Area: A Study in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Abstract:

Destinations with marine protected areas due to their resources can offer visitors experiential fishing tourism. The tourist can carry out the fishing activity with the community and experience its culture in this activity. The present study’s objectives are (1) to establish which are the preference dimensions for experiential fishing tourism, (2) to determine which dimensions influence the interest to book an experiential fishing tour, and (3) to identify which dimension influences the importance of the visit. The research was carried out in the Galapagos Islands, a destination declared a marine protected area and a World Heritage Site. The study was conducted online with 229 tourists who had visited the destination. For the data analysis factorial analysis, the varimax rotation method, and the Kaiser criterion were used. In the second stage, the Multiple Regression Method was implemented. The results show that preferences in experiential fishing tourism are made up of two dimensions: “Conservation and local culture” and “Quality of services.” The conservation and local culture dimension positively influence the interest in booking a fishing tour and the importance of the visit. The results will serve as management guides for managers of destinations within marine protected areas and for the community that offers experiential fishing tourism.