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Last Chance Tourism (LCT) is an increasingly popular phenomenon whereby tourists seek encounters with vanishing landscapes, cultures, and endangered species. However, there are concerns that it is not sufficiently ecologically informed, has a large carbon footprint, and may put further pressure on vulnerable ecosystems and communities. This review specifically focuses on the Arctic, which is a major global frontier for LCT and is at the forefront of disruptive and accelerating climate change. It draws on theoretical insights from the Ecological Grief concept to chart a new research focus as well as a pathway to share empathy, concern, and sorrow between scientists, communities, and visitors. Key literature sources on LCT and Ecological Grief were selected from major international scientific journals and monographs. The major findings of the study are (i) the Arctic cryosphere is a life-sustaining entity and disruptive changes in its mechanisms currently threaten the unique ecologies and culture of the region and (ii) LCT must be attentive to the emotive accounts of loss and grief associated with cryospheric change and emplace both human and non-human voices in the narrative. These findings are relevant for LCT researchers, tourism planners, and conscious travelers in the Arctic who prioritize destination sustainability.

Last Chance Tourism (LCT) is an increasingly popular phenomenon whereby tourists seek encounters with vanishing landscapes, cultures, and endangered species. However, there are concerns that it is not sufficiently ecologically informed, has a large carbon footprint, and may put further pressure on vulnerable ecosystems and communities. This review specifically focuses on the Arctic, which is a major global frontier for LCT and is at the forefront of disruptive and accelerating climate change. It draws on theoretical insights from the Ecological Grief concept to chart a new research focus as well as a pathway to share empathy, concern, and sorrow between scientists, communities, and visitors. Key literature sources on LCT and Ecological Grief were selected from major international scientific journals and monographs. The major findings of the study are (i) the Arctic cryosphere is a life-sustaining entity and disruptive changes in its mechanisms currently threaten the unique ecologies and culture of the region and (ii) LCT must be attentive to the emotive accounts of loss and grief associated with cryospheric change and emplace both human and non-human voices in the narrative. These findings are relevant for LCT researchers, tourism planners, and conscious travelers in the Arctic who prioritize destination sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last-chance tourism includes tourists' visits to destinations under the threat of extinction to see them for the last time. In this type of tourism, tourists' nature-protective behaviors can be an essential factor in preventing the rapid deterioration of the region. This study aims to reveal whether the relationship with nature impacts global social responsibility in last-chance tourism. Data was collected within the purposive sample using the questionnaire technique. In the analysis phase, regression analysis was performed to reveal the effect of the relationship with nature on global social responsibility. The findings indicate that self-identity, perspective, and experience, which constitute the sub-dimensions of the relationship with nature variable, significantly affect the ecological behavior sub-dimension of global social responsibility. In addition, experience and self-identity significantly affect action orientation, one of the other sub-dimensions of global social responsibility, and perspective affects altruistic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last chance tourism, which can be described as the practice of tourism in environmentally damaged or threatened spaces, is an emerging trend that has been considered problematic due to the pressure that it places on already fragile environments. This article explores the possibilities of turning last chance tourism experiences into hopeful tourism experiences, by creating emotionally driven last chance tourism experiences in controlled and safe environments through digital storytelling. We draw on literature on transformative, hopeful and flourishing tourism to argue that last chance experiences provide unique opportunities for eliciting reflection among tourists and promote a greater environmental awareness if they are driven by emotionally engaging narratives. Our study explores the outcomes of an experiment conducted at the Ajuda Botanical Garden (Lisbon, Portugal) with a futuristic mixed-reality game that places users as members of a scientific expedition looking for plants that have become extinct in the twenty-second century. The results of this study show how the game's last chance narrative generated contradictory, mixed feelings among the participants, which ultimately led to hopeful existential reflection about nature conservation action. With this in mind, we reflect on the potential of transformative last chance tourism experiences guided by digital narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over 50 years, Churchill, Manitoba has provided visitors an opportunity to see polar bears in their natural environment. Over the same time period, an increase in temperatures and related reductions in sea ice has negatively impacted the health of polar bears in the Western Hudson Bay. In 2008, the term 'last chance tourism' was coined, linking the demand to travel to the North with a desire to see these animals 'before they are gone'. This creates a paradox as tourists require energy-intensive modes of transportation to reach the Arctic, thereby contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. This paper compares the polar bear viewing industry's total greenhouse gas contribution and tourists' knowledge about climate change with results from a 2008 study and discusses any changes over the last ten years. During the 2018 polar bear viewing season, greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to be 23,017 t/CO2, an increase from 2008. The results also indicated that although most tourists believe climate change is happening, fewer associate air travel to this — a similar finding identified ten years ago. Findings from this research show that consumption patterns have not changed despite a growing awareness of climate change and its impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic climate change is causing significant changes to the cryosphere. Glaciers and glacier tourism are directly impacted, and glacier tourism operators must adapt to the disappearance of their main resource. Recent studies carried out in this context have demonstrated that Last Chance Tourism (LCT) has emerged as the motivation behind viewing or visiting a natural resource before it disappears. The most frequently visited French glacier is Montenvers-Mer-de-Glace (1920 m a.s.l.), which is becoming a LCT destination. Results from both qualitative and quantitative methods demonstrate that visitors come to Montenvers mainly for its environmental features and for LCT purposes. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) shows that motivations can be classified into LCT and five other factors. Qualitative data identify 'Fame' as an unexpected motivational category, and different motivational dimensions of each category are explored. Concerning LCT motivation, four dimensions are revealed: observing, understanding, a sense of urgency, and witnessing environmental changes. Moreover, the more respondents are aware of climate change, the more they consider LCT motivations important. These results lead us to link LCT to cognitive dissonance. Finally, we propose that future research should explore LCT and its relationship with media coverage and pro-environmental behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last chance tourism (LCT) has received significant attention within the academic literature and popular press because of its controversial nature of bringing travelers to threatened places. However, little theory has been applied to understand why travelers gravitate toward this controversial type of tourism. Hence, this work combines the value–belief–norm (VBN) model and theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework to explain intentions to participate in LCT. Survey data were collected from a national panel (n = 436) of US travelers in 2019. A two-step modeling approach (confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling) was followed to examine psychometrics and hypothesized relationships between VBN constructs, TPB constructs, and intentions to participate in LCT. Of the 11 hypotheses examined, nine were supported, with both theories combining to explain 61% of the variance in travelers' intentions. The TPB construct of "social norms" was the best predictor of LCT intentions, emphasizing the conspicuous nature of LCT's influence on demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature frames Last Chance Tourism as a key motivation for tourists visiting glaciers. Much of the discourse considers the contradiction of tourists contributing to the degradation of what they recognise to be a threatened attraction. Due to the significant acceleration of glacial retreat, glaciers and glacier tourism are a key focus. This paper explores the extent to which the "Last Chance" lexicon extends to the tourists' vocabulary when reflecting on their visits to Sólheimajökull Glacier and three glaciers distributed across the two hemispheres, through an analysis of 2004 TripAdvisor User Generated Content (UGC) reviews written between 2017 and 2019. The reviews reveal that a quarter of tourists are explicitly engaging in the "Last Chance" discourse. Topics of tourist satisfaction, access to the glacier, weather and guided tours are more common. For those who do mention the "Last Chance" aspect, commentary on the aesthetics of the glacier, a recognition of the impact of climate change, and warnings to future travelers are captured with no clear indication of experiences leading to an ambassadorship. The tourists engage in a vicious cycle enhancing the retreat of glaciers by viewing them. Understanding these perspectives is critical in managing these destinations sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last Chance Tourism (LCT) has emerged in recent years as an adaptive response of the global tourism industry to the threats and opportunities of climate change. Referring to the act of travellers explicitly seeking out natural and/or cultural attractions that they deem to be at threat, LCT occurs in many of the World's most iconic and fragile tourism destination regions. While academic scholarship around LCT grows, authors are beginning to question the lack of attention paid to LCT's theoretical underpinnings. One potential contribution is Lefebvre's notion of a Three-Fold view of space, encompassing the interrelated forces of: spatial practice, representations of space, and spaces of representation as a conceptual framing for understanding the spatial dimensions of LCT in Churchill (Canada). Demonstrating both the totality of space and the interrelated nature of its constituent parts, Lefebvre's view of space offers a foundation for future empirical work looking to explore the host community perspective on LCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Last Chance Tourism (LCT) is defined by tourists' urgent visits to landscapes and seascapes, natural environments and places of social and cultural importance/heritage before they disappear. The obliteration of these environments is attributed to the rapid and destructive effects of global environmental change and globalization. These infl uences are leading to the demise of natural systems and biodiversity, including in polar regions and coral reef systems. Furthermore, cultures and traditions are also being lost. Scholarly investigations to date have reflected on the contention between the experiential gain in visiting destinations before they disappear on the one hand, and the losses to, and demise of, those very destinations through such visits. Despite aboveglobal- average rise in temperature, increasingly frequent droughts and flooding, as well as rapid globalization, the South African experience on LCT destinations remains under-investigated. This paper uses secondary sources to explore current and future destinations where cultural groups are threatened, fauna and fl ora are on the brink of extinction, and landscapes are changing for the worse. Future research opportunities are identifi ed and conceptual concerns are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travel to impact-sensitive destinations has been on the rise in recent years. Coined "last chance tourism" (LCT), visitors are increasingly coming to these destinations to see them before they are gone. To offset their presence, which ultimately contributes to site degradation, a possible positive outcome of these LCT experiences is the creation of environmental ambassadors. Utilizing data collected from 189 visitor surveys, the purpose of this study is to provide a basis for understanding the visitor experience and outcomes of boat-based polar bear viewing in the Kaktovik area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A typology of visitors was created based on importance of various trip elements, and demographic and trip characteristics were examined by resulting groups. Analyses show that the polar bear viewing experience does have the potential to increase visitors' pro-environmental and ambassadorship behavioral intentions. Regression analyses revealed, for the sample population, that total minutes educated and the occurrence of an epiphany had a positive impact on visitors' reported pro-environmental behavior and ambassadorship intentions. Surprisingly, seeing more polar bears was negatively related to these same intentions. Implications for the management of similar experiences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being always a popular issue despite being called differently on media, last chance tourism (LCT) has become a significant matter in tourism literature in recent years due to the increase in global warming and world population. Even though LCT has emerged in relation to visit demands to destinations under the threat of disappea rance in Arctic regions, the concept is now not only used for destinations disappearing due to environmental changes but also for places disappearing due to anthropogenic reasons. The most important aspects of this concept are its relation with other tourism types and the paradox that it creates because of its impacts on the environment. These two aspects of this concept are still discussed in tourism literature. With regard to this discussion, the purpose of this study is to examine LCT and its paradox in the literature in detail; to discuss the term with regard to Turkey and to determine possible last chance destinations in Turkey with an emphasis on Hasankeyf (Batman). For this aim, a detailed literature review and an online search with keywords such as "places under threat" were conducted. As a result of this study, it is revealed that there are many LCT destinations in Turkey which have been dragged into being a LCT destination as a result of misgovernment and Hasankeyf (Batman) has been already recognized as a LCT destination by the tourists and therefore can be evaluated within LCT literature in future research in a more detailed and empirical way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With reference to virtue ethics and ethics of care, this paper discusses ethical challenges of tourism consumption and the last chance tourism marketplace. Survey results and a visitor segmentation of travellers to two climate threatened destinations show that most visitors are not willing to engage in carbon offsetting, and that willingness is related to their sense of connection to a destination. Findings extend current discourses on last chance tourism by situating visitors' lack of care for climate threatened destinations as a response to a tourism market that normalizes the consumption of socio-ecological decline. This paper also enhances understandings of stewardship promotion within the last chance marketplace by advancing a visitor segmentation approach and six distinct last chance tourist profiles. Highlights • Sense of place positively influences willingness to pay at last chance destinations. • Most last chance tourists are not willing to offset carbon produced from their trip. • Ethical travel sustains well-being among the relations that travel creates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of researching the problems and prospects for the development of this tourism type as "Last Chance Tourism" as well as within the framework of ecological tourism, is explained by the importance of preserving tourist territories and objects of display in order to achieve the goals of an effective combination of ecological and economic components for the benefit of the general territory development. The purpose of this study is to determine the development prospects of the Last Chance Tourism, as one of the directions of ecological tourism. To implement this study, the authors of the article used the methods of data systematization, content analysis, expert assessments and other scientific approaches, which allow to comprehensively consider the problem under study. The authors propose a refined definition of "ecotourism" by referring to the results of the analysis of existing research. We give the characteristics of tourists, who are attracted by the objects of "Last Chance Tourism". According to the results of the study, the necessity of creating a Russian analogue of the list of endangered objects that can be used for tourism purposes is justified - the atlas "Last Chance Tourism". The article summarizes the experience and offers recommendations for the development of ecological tourism, including the example of the Republic of Tatarstan. The article will be useful for regional and federal authorities, universities, training students in the direction of "tourism", as well as for all those interested in the development of ecological tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid environmental change in vulnerable destinations has stimulated a new form of travel termed “last chance tourism” (LCT). Studies have examined the risks of LCT, while leaving potential opportunities within this new tourism market largely underexplored. Results of survey (n = 399) research in Jasper National Park, Canada reveal that a LCT motivation influences decisions to visit this iconic Canadian destination, and suggest that this motivation is linked to a desire to learn about the impacts of climate change on the Athabasca Glacier. Findings suggest there may be short to medium term opportunities associated with LCT, including promoting climate change ambassadorship through management interventions. This paper discusses a range of possible education, interpretive, and outreach activities that might be employed at LCT destinations. It outlines the relative merits (or what we refer to as “uneasy benefits”) of promoting the glacier and other LCT destinations within a protected areas management and climate change adaptation context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publically documented decline in health of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has led to its labelling, in media and academic literature, as a last chance tourism destination. That is, a place tourists travel to experience before it is gone. While the GBR has been labelled as such, no empirical evidence has identified that this is actually occurring. This article explores if tourists are motivated to visit the GBR to see it before it's gone, and examines the level of concern tourists have about the range of issues that are threatening the GBR. Drawing on 235 questionnaires with on-site tourists, the results indicate that tourists are seeking travel to the GBR in a bid to see the reef before it's too late. These tourists - identified as "seeking a last chance experience" - were also found to be more environmentally conscious, and have a higher level of concern about the overall health of the GBR. In terms of threats to the GBR, respondents indicated that they were mainly concerned about coral bleaching/disease and climate change, with tourism only considered as a moderate to low concern. The implications of this are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat that climate change impacts pose to rare and vulnerable destinations has given rise to a phenomenon known as last chance tourism. This travel behaviour involves tourists increasingly travelling to destinations they perceive to be critically threatened, while contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts in these very places. For last chance destinations to be managed effectively in the face of climate change, a clearer understanding of what drives this travel behaviour is needed. Drawing on the importance of place and nature to identity construction, this research uses a structural equation modelling approach to examine last chance tourism motivations in Churchill, Canada. Results provide evidence of a motivation to engage in a last chance experience. They also indicate that this motivation is related to a desire to share a connection to nature with similar individuals, and to become part of the local story. Beyond this, results show that visitors' sense of place identity and nature relatedness contribute significantly to their motivation to engage in last chance tourism. Findings from this research are important to the management of last chance destinations, including protected areas that are legislated to preserve significant natural and cultural features. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

For more than 100 years, the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers in Westland Tai Poutini National Park have attracted thousands of tourists annually and have emerged as iconic destinations in New Zealand. However, in recent years, the recession of both glaciers has been increasingly rapid and the impacts on, and implications for, visitor experiences in these settings remain relatively unexplored. A mixed-method approach was adopted to investigate visitor experiences and stakeholder perspectives through an assessment of climate-related changes on tourism at the glaciers in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. The bio-physical conditions at both the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers were reviewed in order to assess the magnitude and rate of retreat. Perceptions of climate change risk and awareness of impacts in the National Park were assessed through stakeholder interviews (n= 13) and a visitor survey (n= 500) was used to better understand how impacts at these sites have affected and may continue to affect visitor experiences. Research results were reported to local communities via a series of public talks. Results revealed the fundamental importance of viewing the glaciers as a significant travel motive of visitors, suggesting that there is a ‘last chance’ dimension to their experience. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a high adaptive capacity of local tourism operators under rapidly changing environmental conditions. The implications of altered visitor experiences for tourism operators and protected area managers are discussed in light of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Some of the suggested critical issues for Antarctic tourism include the role played by tourists as the last chance to see the icecaps before they melt, or represent potential ‘ambassadors’ within IAATO's (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) scope for self-regulation. The study also addresses the question of whether ‘ambassadorship’ evolves in practice from ‘last chance tourism’ and how it evolves. The article urges Antarctic tourism stakeholders to maintain the integrity of the ecosystem while delivering social and economic value. We carried out in-depth interviews of stakeholders and in situ interviews of tourists visiting Antarctica, in order to explore their perceptions from an interdisciplinary perspective based on management and biology. A study of tourist and stakeholder opinions and a combination of the two methods provided a wide perspective on the ‘ambassadorship’ concept. Our findings reveal that the spontaneous trust characterising ambassadorship is far removed from the perception of tour operators. While a trip to Antarctica modifies the opinions of tourists, such changes in perspective are not always favourable to ecological practices. The ambassadorship role played by tourists visiting Antarctica is unclear. This is an exploratory study that develops the debate on whether tourists should be ambassadors for the Antarctic and points to the need for self-regulation to improve stakeholder engagement in protecting the continent. We suggest that a combination of new agreements for the protection of the territory, better planning, the use of management tools, and an improvement in some educational aspects of tourism may help protect Antarctica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global environmental change is altering natural and built systems in many regions of the world and such changes play a significant role in an emerging travel trend that has been labelled ‘last chance tourism’ (LCT). In LCT, tourism demand is based on the desire to see these vulnerable places and features before they disappear or are essentially and irrevocably changed. The paradox in this new form of travel lies in the fact that the tourists often travel long distances and, thus, are disproportionately responsible per capita for increased greenhouse gas emissions and various other stressors that have the potential to alter further the very attractions being visited. The emergence of LCT requires careful ethical consideration and adds a new twist to the debate about ‘loving a destination to death’. In this case, the relationship is indirect and intangible, and is complicated by spatial and temporal lags, as well as the complex system of biophysical interactions at the heart of climate change. LCT presents a situation that is considerably more difficult to manage and mitigate than those where tourism involves only direct and local impacts. Through a praxis/reflective approach, we discuss this complexity and the various ethical issues associated with marketing and managing LCT. In order to provide context and clarification of the LCT concept, we use one of the most evocative symbols of climate change, the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, as a source of empirical evidence and a foundation for exploring ethical considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the paradoxical issues surrounding long-distance tourism to view polar bears, a form of tourism which is disproportionately (on a per capita basis) responsible for greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions that are negatively affecting survival chances of the species. It also notes that the phenomenon of “last chance tourism” is influencing more tourists to visit the region. The paper describes and explains the evidence that climate change is causing a substantial reduction in sea ice, vital for Arctic wildlife species survival, particularly mega fauna, such as polar bears. Churchill, Canada is one of the few places where tourists can easily view polar bears. A total of 334 on-site tourist surveys and 18 in-depth interviews were conducted to help evaluate tourist perceptions of climate change and to estimate their GHG emissions related to polar bear viewing tourism. Polar bear viewing tourists perceive climate change to be negatively impacting polar bears but do not necessarily understand how they themselves contribute to GHG emissions, or understand offsetting possibilities. The polar bear viewing industry is estimated to contribute 20,892 t/CO2 per season. Mitigation strategies, including reduction and offsetting programs are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a paradoxical issue in tourism's adaptation to climate change and emissions reduction demands. Operators increasingly take tourists to destinations threatened by climate change, with Antarctica and other polar regions as favourites and cruise ship and aircraft as main transport modes. The selling point is to see a destination before it disappears, a form of last chance tourism. This has been claimed to increase the environmental awareness of tourists and make them “ambassadors” for conservation and the visited destination. Antarctic cruise ship passengers tripled from 2000 to 2007. The paper finds that high levels of greenhouse gas emissions are created by cruise ship tourists in general, and especially high levels for those visiting the Antarctic, up to approximately eight times higher per capita and per day than average international tourism trips. A survey found no evidence for the hypothesis that the trips develop greater environmental awareness, change attitudes or encourage more sustainable future travel choices. Of the Antarctic cruise passengers surveyed, 59% felt that their travel did not impact on climate change; fewer than 7% had or might offset their emissions. Alternative opportunities for visitation to glacial/polar destinations that comply with the desire to reduce future emissions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Emerging post-Arctic tourism results from Anthropocene and climate change impacts. • Post-Arctic tourism takes place in a post-apocalyptic Arctic. • In Post-Arctic tourism, opportunities to see glaciers and iconic wildlife are gone. • Post-Arctic tourism products will be the result of how the Arctic is portrayed today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores how tourist site management and human attitudes and behaviours can help decrease the pressure of tourism on the environment. Estimates show that, together with ancillary sectors, the tourism industry is expected to contribute approximately 6.5 gigatons of greenhouse gases by 2025. These emissions are primarily a result of tourists favouring air travel and luxury experiences that require more energy outputs. Additionally, tourism continues to grow and has become a routine activity for the middle class who travel more regularly on an annual basis. With growing middle classes in many developing countries, the number of tourists who will be able to afford recreational travel is estimated to increase exponentially. The pressures and demands of increasing tourist numbers can strain vulnerable natural sites. These predictions show that changes within the tourism industry fabric are necessary. Against this backdrop, this research employs a combined methodology. A survey methodology was employed to explore tourist attitudes towards tourism sites and their behaviours and decision making with a top-down and bottom-up approach. Additionally, an interview methodology of tourism field experts was employed to investigate the attitudes of the industry and how consumer behaviours may be influenced. Findings from the survey and interview discussions were employed to inform four managerial aspects. First, the ticket price of the tourist experience should be proportional to the value proposition of the experience. Second, a government-led framework could guide businesses towards sustainable management and educate their tourists on greener practices. Third, businesses could integrate sustainability issues into their marketing and advertising to create awareness and ensure the longevity of the site. Lastly, tourism bodies and businesses could increase their partnerships with local custodians to add cultural value and understand the visitor experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]