Results
Perceived socio-cultural impacts of research ecotourism
The dominant attitude towards research ecotourism identified through interviews
was one of acceptance and enthusiasm. Individuals commonly stated that
the presence of visitors to such a remote area enhanced their sense of pride in the
region, although the scientific rationale for the research being conducted was not
commonly recognised. Communal rather than individual benefits such as the
novelty of having young foreign people staying in villages and the excitement
this generated, particularly amongst children, were frequently highlighted as
positive outcomes. These are illustrated by the statements that ‘it is lovely to see
new and different faces’ and ‘tourists make children happy and smile’. Emphasis
was also placed on the value of frequent informal interaction with research
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ecotourists which afforded individuals the opportunity to practise or improve
English language skills or engage in sporting activities.
Table 1 summarises the Likert scale responses from the questionnaire administered
to individuals in the two villages experiencing differing degrees of
interaction with the research ecotourism operation, detailing the cases where a
chi-squared test indicated a significant difference in responses between the two
villages. This confirms the importance of wider community benefits associated