Growing up in a tourist destination: developing an environmental sensitivity

Abstract

This paper explores how the socio-cultural milieu of a community may foster a sense of environmental stewardship among children and young people. Ethnographic fieldwork, carried out in a popular tourist destination in Australia, revealed that the overt impacts of tourism activity such as littering provoke negative feelings among children and young people; these perceptions can in turn translate into a sensitivity towards the environment. While debated in some circles, a Significant Life Experiences (SLE) lens is useful in understanding children and young people’s lived experiences of – and sensitivity to - environmental issues in the communities where they are raised. SLE is employed in this article to explore how a sense of stewardship towards the environment is developed among children and young people growing up in a tourist destination. Findings suggest they actively contribute to protecting the environment in a variety of ways from regular beach clean ups and educating visiting tourists to participating in rallies and anti-development protests.

Keywords:

• Environmental sensitivity
• environmental stewardship
• significant life experiences
• children
• tourism
• childhood studies

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Data is based on a four year average from 2014 to 2017.

2 Overtourism is a term that has emerged to denote the ‘excessive growth of visitors leading to overcrowding in areas where residents suffer the consequences of temporary and seasonal tourism peaks, which have enforced permanent changes to their lifestyles, access to amenities and general well-being’ (Milano, Cheer and Novelli 2019).

3 A small seaside suburb north of Byron Bay.

4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wdsLdrj7ds&feature=em-share_video_user

5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d29kconTYII&feature=em-share_video_user

6 ‘Schoolies’ is a term used to refer to young school leavers that flock to popular tourist destinations to celebrate the end of their schooling years (Canosa, Graham, and Wilson, 2019b).

7 PCML is a local Byron Bay non-for-profit marine conservation organisation that aims to create long-term positive change for marine environments worldwide.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Antonia Canosa

Antonia Canosa is a Research Fellow with the Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University, Australia. Antonia’s work focuses on children’s rights, wellbeing and safety in the tourism industry. She also researches in the areas of identity, belonging and connection to nature among children and young people growing up in tourist destinations. Her research interests include the ethical dimension of research with children and ethnographic, participatory and visual methodologies.

Anne Graham

Anne Graham is Professor of Childhood Studies and Director of the Centre for Children and Young People, Southern Cross University. Anne is nationally and internationally known for her research around children and young people’s rights and wellbeing. She has published widely in areas related to social and emotional well-being, participation and engagement, and ethical research.

Erica Wilson

Erica Wilson is a Professor in tourism at Southern Cross University and Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). Erica’s research interests include qualitative and feminist methodologies; women’s travel; sustainable tourism and tourism in protected and World Heritage areas; slow tourism; and critical approaches in teaching and studying tourism