Flipper and Co key assets in sustainable eco-tourism

Tourism students from Murdoch University's Rockingham Campus have been assisting the Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre's research on sustainable tourism.

Fourteen student volunteers were rostered over a month to collect valuable, 'first-hand' data through interacting with visitors — and dolphins — at the Koombana Bay site.

The Koombana Bay dolphins, though perhaps less well-known than those at Monkey Mia, have developed an affinity for interaction with humans.

"Between 60 and 80 dolphins live in the Bay in the summer months and, by using our special beachfront interaction zone, many visitors are able to swim or paddle with the dolphins in a strictly-controlled environment," says the Centre's Dolphin Interaction Supervisor Fleur O'Neill.

Murdoch Tourism lecturer Diane Lee said the students spent most of their time interviewing tourists as part of their research.

"The students' results will be used to add to the knowledge of sustainable tourism management — both at the Bunbury site and at sites around Australia and the world," said Ms Lee.

"Sustainable tourism development is the basis of our programme studies. By being involved in this research, the students are not only contributing to the knowledge base for tourism development worldwide, but also gaining first-hand experience to support the theory that they will face in the classroom."

The sustainable tourism work is being continued by Murdoch PhD student Deb Slater who is incorporating her work at the Centre with studies in Marine Science and Ecotourism.