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Do whale-watching experiences and tourist expectations align? A comparison of three Macaronesian destinations.

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Title: Do whale-watching experiences and tourist expectations align? A comparison of three Macaronesian destinations.
Authors: Hurtado-Pampín C; Ecología de las comunidades marinas y conservación (ECOMAR), Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España., de la Cruz-Modino R; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España., Domínguez-González D; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España., Herrera-Cáceres Á; Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España., Vicente-Alonso S; Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España., Arranz P; Biodiversidad, Ecología Marina y Conservación (BIOECOMAC), Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.
Source: PloS one [PLoS One] 2026 Mar 03; Vol. 21 (3), pp. e0342997. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 03 (Print Publication: 2026).
Publication Type: Journal Article; Comparative Study
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science
MeSH Terms: Tourism* , Whales* , Recreation*, Animals ; Spain ; Portugal ; Humans ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Azores
Abstract: This study examines the alignment between whale-watching experiences and tourist expectations in three different destinations. Whale-watching is a global tourist activity, with locations such as the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) in Macaronesia rapidly becoming prime spots for these marine activities. Those locations attract a significant number of tourists with varying recreational interests and diverse perceptions of each destination and its natural resources, including marine wildlife megafauna species that can be seen. While often marketed as sustainable tourism, the ecological impacts of whale-watching are a matter of concern. Evolving whale-watching practices may reinforce or diminish the effectiveness of conservation and environmental education efforts. In this regard, exploring whale watchers' expectatives, preferences, previous experiences, level of satisfaction, and environmental information may help to assess better practices and sustainable tourism initiatives. This study employed a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating a series of questionnaires that explored whale watchers' expectations and overall satisfaction before and after sea trips in the Tenerife and El Hierro Islands (Canary Islands, Spain), as well as in São Miguel (Azores, Portugal). The findings highlight differences across three study cases: El Hierro attracted more experienced and oriented tourists, while Tenerife and São Miguel received more generalist visitors. Satisfaction was closely linked to the number of cetacean sightings. Many participants who did not mention specific species expressed open preferences such as wanting to "see everything" or "whatever is possible", reflecting limited prior knowledge. The study highlights the importance of tailoring whale-watching strategies to tourist profiles by enhancing communication, adjusting group sizes and vessel types, and reinforcing conservation messaging to ensure both positive experiences and long-term ecological sustainability.
(Copyright: © 2026 Hurtado-Pampín et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
References: Mar Environ Res. 2024 Jul;199:106574. (PMID: 38833806)
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jan 20;857(Pt 3):159589. (PMID: 36270379)
Sci Total Environ. 2021 Nov 15;795:148652. (PMID: 34247086)
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Feb 20;860:160376. (PMID: 36423844)
Sci Total Environ. 2022 May 15;821:153322. (PMID: 35074373)
PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28353. (PMID: 22163295)
Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 11;11(1):21195. (PMID: 34764300)
J Exp Biol. 2006 Nov;209(Pt 21):4238-53. (PMID: 17050839)
Sci Adv. 2017 Sep 20;3(9):e1600730. (PMID: 28948215)
Conserv Biol. 2006 Dec;20(6):1791-8. (PMID: 17181814)
J Acoust Soc Am. 2023 Apr 1;153(4):2469. (PMID: 37092951)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260303 Date Completed: 20260710 Latest Revision: 20260813
Update Code: 20260813
PubMed Central ID: PMC12956078
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0342997
PMID: 41774730
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Do whale-watching experiences and tourist expectations align? A comparison of three Macaronesian destinations.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Hurtado-Pampín+C%22">Hurtado-Pampín C</searchLink>; Ecología de las comunidades marinas y conservación (ECOMAR), Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22de+la+Cruz-Modino+R%22">de la Cruz-Modino R</searchLink>; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Domínguez-González+D%22">Domínguez-González D</searchLink>; Instituto de Investigación Social y Turismo (ISTUR), Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Herrera-Cáceres+Á%22">Herrera-Cáceres Á</searchLink>; Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Vicente-Alonso+S%22">Vicente-Alonso S</searchLink>; Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Arranz+P%22">Arranz P</searchLink>; Biodiversidad, Ecología Marina y Conservación (BIOECOMAC), Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.
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  Data: This study examines the alignment between whale-watching experiences and tourist expectations in three different destinations. Whale-watching is a global tourist activity, with locations such as the Canary Islands (Spain) and the Azores (Portugal) in Macaronesia rapidly becoming prime spots for these marine activities. Those locations attract a significant number of tourists with varying recreational interests and diverse perceptions of each destination and its natural resources, including marine wildlife megafauna species that can be seen. While often marketed as sustainable tourism, the ecological impacts of whale-watching are a matter of concern. Evolving whale-watching practices may reinforce or diminish the effectiveness of conservation and environmental education efforts. In this regard, exploring whale watchers' expectatives, preferences, previous experiences, level of satisfaction, and environmental information may help to assess better practices and sustainable tourism initiatives. This study employed a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating a series of questionnaires that explored whale watchers' expectations and overall satisfaction before and after sea trips in the Tenerife and El Hierro Islands (Canary Islands, Spain), as well as in São Miguel (Azores, Portugal). The findings highlight differences across three study cases: El Hierro attracted more experienced and oriented tourists, while Tenerife and São Miguel received more generalist visitors. Satisfaction was closely linked to the number of cetacean sightings. Many participants who did not mention specific species expressed open preferences such as wanting to "see everything" or "whatever is possible", reflecting limited prior knowledge. The study highlights the importance of tailoring whale-watching strategies to tourist profiles by enhancing communication, adjusting group sizes and vessel types, and reinforcing conservation messaging to ensure both positive experiences and long-term ecological sustainability.<br /> (Copyright: © 2026 Hurtado-Pampín et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
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  Data: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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  Data: Mar Environ Res. 2024 Jul;199:106574. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2238833806%22">38833806)</searchLink><br />Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jan 20;857(Pt 3):159589. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236270379%22">36270379)</searchLink><br />Sci Total Environ. 2021 Nov 15;795:148652. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234247086%22">34247086)</searchLink><br />Sci Total Environ. 2023 Feb 20;860:160376. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2236423844%22">36423844)</searchLink><br />Sci Total Environ. 2022 May 15;821:153322. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2235074373%22">35074373)</searchLink><br />PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28353. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2222163295%22">22163295)</searchLink><br />Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 11;11(1):21195. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2234764300%22">34764300)</searchLink><br />J Exp Biol. 2006 Nov;209(Pt 21):4238-53. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2217050839%22">17050839)</searchLink><br />Sci Adv. 2017 Sep 20;3(9):e1600730. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2228948215%22">28948215)</searchLink><br />Conserv Biol. 2006 Dec;20(6):1791-8. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2217181814%22">17181814)</searchLink><br />J Acoust Soc Am. 2023 Apr 1;153(4):2469. (PMID: <searchLink fieldCode="PM" term="%2237092951%22">37092951)</searchLink>
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