Tourism, time, and the last chance

Abstract

Last chance tourism (LCT) is tourism where individuals rush to view and experience vanishing resources before they are altered or disappear entirely. As a documented phenomenon LCT is relatively new, with most of the observations only considering the natural environment. Additionally, the concept of LCT lacks theoretical underpinning. This article addresses the theoretical gap. Two criteria are identified for LCT without which it will not exist. First is a perception that time is running out. Second is a sense of loss. Loss aversion is linked to a sense of loss which, when combined with time, provides a basis for the development of a model explaining why a visitor may choose one last chance destination over another even if the loss of that site may not be considered as important. The model also provides a basis for LCT to include places other than natural environments. A sense of impending loss can also be experienced for other types of tourism sites.