Summary
This study analyzed 761 surveys completed by tourists returning from a whale shark tour in Oslob, Philippines, and 947 TripAdvisor reviews. 48.6% of survey respondents supported or strongly supported whale shark feeding, and the vast majority reported a positive experience that they would recommend to others. 27.2% of TripAdvisor reviews mentioned ethical concerns; of those, 68.1% justified their behavior despite their ethical concerns, while 18.5% expressed regret over the experience and 13.4% were neutral. Using a utilitarianism lens, the authors find that there is not enough data to weigh the positive effects on the tourists and local economy against the negative effects on the whale sharks. A strength of this study is its large sample size and use of diverse data sources. A limitation is that its sample does not entirely represent the tourist population, as TripAdvisor reviews over-represent foreign tourists and under-represent national tourists. The authors conclude that until a thorough cost-benefit analysis of whale shark feeding in Oslob has been conducted that considers all stakeholders, it should be considered unethical.
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