Purpose

To evaluate some of the current discussion about the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on wildlife tourism destinations. There could be either positive and/or negative impacts and this viewpoint provides some reflection on what the future might hold for some if not many wildlife tourism destinations when the global tourism industry resumes.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of tourism and environmental impact research studies and online resources are used to demonstrate the wildlife tourism-conservation nexus and provide a commentary regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the wildlife tourism system.

Findings

This paper provides a context and viewpoint on the possible implications of post COVID-19 reflection for wildlife tourism operations in the future.

Research limitations/implications

This viewpoint paper captures only a snapshot of rapidly emerging online perspectives but at the same time draws together relevant research that emphasises the importance of wildlife tourism.

Practical implications

This paper enables an appreciation of the implications of not reflecting on the way that tourism and the environment are currently/recently managed and funded. One possibility is that we could arrive at a different baseline that reflects degraded wildlife tourism conditions. If, in a post COVID-19 world, a new awareness of the vulnerability of species and the tourism upon which it is dependent arises, this could open the door for improved tourism management and conservation of species that are of high tourism value.

Social implications

This paper offers a synthesis of views that fosters understanding of the possibility of damage to wildlife tourism resources due to the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on the global nature-based tourism sector.

Originality/value

The viewpoint proffered in this paper provides scope for a rapid evaluation of the current status of wildlife tourism, its vulnerability and the need to reflect on the industry in a post COVID-19 world.

中文翻译：

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旅游业的崩溃及其对野生动物旅游目的地的影响

目的

评估当前关于 COVID-19 大流行对野生动物旅游目的地可能产生的影响的一些讨论。可能会有积极和/或消极的影响，这种观点反映了当全球旅游业恢复时，一些野生动物旅游目的地的未来可能会怎样。

设计/方法/方法

旅游和环境影响研究和在线资源相结合，用于展示野生动物旅游与保护的关系，并就 COVID-19 对野生动物旅游系统的影响提供评论。

发现

本文就 COVID-19 后反思对未来野生动物旅游运营的可能影响提供了背景和观点。

研究限制/影响

这篇观点论文仅捕捉了快速出现的在线观点的快照，但同时汇集了强调野生动物旅游重要性的相关研究。

实际影响

本文使人们能够了解不反思当前/最近管理和资助旅游业和环境的方式的影响。一种可能性是，我们可以得出一个反映退化的野生动物旅游条件的不同基线。如果在后 COVID-19 的世界中，对物种的脆弱性及其所依赖的旅游业产生新的认识，这可能为改善旅游管理和保护具有高旅游价值的物种打开大门。

社会影响

本文提供了综合观点，以促进对由于 COVID-19 对全球自然旅游部门的社会和经济影响而对野生动物旅游资源造成损害的可能性的理解。

原创性/价值

本文提出的观点为快速评估野生动物旅游业的现状、脆弱性以及在 COVID-19 后世界反思该行业的必要性提供了空间。