The motivational and demographic characteristics of research ecotourists: Operation Wallacea volunteers in south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia

The growth and diversification of the ecotourism market has resulted in an expansion of operators catering for individuals willing to undertake voluntary conservation and research activities, often in remote and hitherto rarely visited locations. However, these 'research ecotourists' have received relatively little attention in the literature to date. This study identifies the demographic background and motivational characteristics of volunteers working with one such operator in Indonesia. One hundred participants were interviewed and the majority were female, single, young and well educated, reflecting previous research concerning this sector of the ecotourism market. Despite the young age of the sample, a large proportion described their previous holiday experiences in terms consistent with ecotourism. A dominant ecocentric attitude was identified among the volunteers through their interpretations of 'ecotourism', their awareness of nature-related issues and a desire to learn more about the environment. The most frequent responses for participating in overseas expeditions were 'personal development' and 'academic achievement' reasons. These findings support the contention that 'research ecotourists' represent an important sector within the ecotourism market. Furthermore, there is evident potential for growth in this element of ecotourism, underlining the importance of this study in identifying the target market and its implications with regard to the future development of this sector.