Cloning animals for tourism in the year 2070

Abstract

What role do animals have in a future tourism world – in the year 2070? Contemplating over meat and fish delights on restaurant menus, hunting for sport and leisure purposes, and the presence of safaris and zoos have aspects in common, significantly animals are central to their existence and tourists are key consumers. Importantly, these pastimes, social activates, and leisurely pursuits have their ancestral roots that pre-date modern society. Humans have long been associated with eating meat, hunting animals and holding animals in some form of captivity for recreation and education. Distinctively, this paper explores animal cloning and how it could support the extension and existence of these tourism pursuits in the future, focusing on the year 2070. The paper applies a scenario planning approach as its methodological approach to research. The study contributes innovative and original concepts to the future tourism landscape. Through rigorous analysis and discussions in the fields of animal cloning and its relationship with tourism and tourists in potential future settings, a gap in the future market is presented. This research paper presents three scenarios in which cloning could support future tourism markets, Food tourism 2070: A Japanese restaurant perspective, Sport Hunting and tourism 2070: Designated hunting reserves in South Africa; and Safari-zoo tourism 2070: Into the Wild, cloning for education & conservation in the U.S.A. The paper offers interesting research for the futures field and tourism studies, offering scholars and industry with novel concepts for debating.