In the absence of a main attraction – Perspectives from polar bear watching tourism participants

Wildlife watching tourism has recently received more attention in the tourism literature. However, research is still needed on participants' perceptions on the unpredictable nature of wild animals as main attractions. Information on this topic may help providers keep participants satisfied in the absence of wildlife and move away from exploitative practices sometimes used to guarantee close encounters. Using polar bear tourism as a case study, content analysis of TripAdvisor reviews from Churchill (Canada) and Svalbard (Norway) was used to examine participants’ comments on unpredictable wildlife and reactions when polar bears were not found. Findings indicate that to keep participants satisfied, wildlife watching tourism providers should focus on more controllable parts of the experience, such as high-quality guiding, expectations management, and secondary, more guaranteed side activities. They should also make the most of the natural surroundings, other wildlife in the area and signs of the focal species when encountered. •Polar bear tourists' perceptions of unpredictable wildlife experiences was studied.•Reviews indicated that most participants understood sightings were not guaranteed.•Other parts of the experience greatly affected participant satisfaction in absence of polar bears.•Marketing and expectations management also affected participant satisfaction.•Providing high quality guiding should be a priority in wildlife watching tourism.