Climate Change Interpretation and the Leisure Experience of Participants on a Commercial Tour

ABSTRACT Evidence of climate change in alpine environments provides an opportunity for commercial tourism operators to offer interpretation on this subject as part of their tours, albeit with the risk of altering their clients’ leisure experiences in unknown ways. This study used a lab-based experiment to compare the leisure experiences of an experimental group of young adults exposed to climate change interpretation during a simulated snocoach tour of the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park to the leisure experience of participants of a control group who were not exposed to this interpretive component. All other aspects of the simulated tour were identical. Results indicated that incorporating climate change interpretation had a significantly positive impact on visitors’ overall satisfaction and on the education dimension of the leisure experience. These findings provide positive signals for tourism operators who may be concerned about the risks of introducing a climate change component to their product.