This book explores the field of touristic hunting, shooting and sport fishing. It investigates contemporary trends in the industry, and suggests some possible futures for the sector. Consumptive wildlife tourism, while arguably neglected in current tourism research, has become an increasingly contested domain. Animal rights activists and environmentalists argue that it contributes to the demise of some species, and that practices such as ‘canned hunting’,‘virtual hunting’(but with real game) and the use of hounds are unethical. Concurrently, however, many remote, indigenous or developing communities around the world are strategising on how to capitalise on potentially lucrative consumptive forms of wildlife tourism. This book, through a series of case studies from around the world, considers the argument for growing consumptive wildlife tourism, looking at the relationships between hunting, fishing and local communities, impacts, economies and ecologies.

Consumptive wildlife tourism (CWT), as a niche product, has received relatively little attention from researchers. This may be attributed to a number of reasons, including the relative lack of visibility of this sector not only in terms of its economic scale but also in terms of any large physical infrastructural presence. It is also possible that tourism researchers have tended to treat hunting and fishing as non-touristic activities, leaving the sector to leisure and recreation specialists. A further reason for lack of research may relate to the fact that hunting and shooting are not generally popular pastimes of the educated middle class, and furthermore, that as a field of research the topic falls between the uncomfortable (guns, firearms) and the unforgiveable (killing Bambi). As Dizard observes:‘Nice people don’t hunt’(2003: 58). Nice people prefer to drink wine, go on gastronomy tours or visit heritage buildings in Tuscany. No one wants to research people performing unpleasant acts.