Abstract
Wind farm complexes have grown in popularity as a form of energy tourism, but to date there is a paucity of research that addresses tourist perceptions of wind farms as a form of special interest tourism (i.e. energy tourism). The scope of this study concentrated on determining and statistically profiling domestic tourists' perceptions of wind farm complexes for energy tourism purposes. As such, this study applies grounded theory as a means of interpreting domestic tourist perceptions of their lived wind farm experiences. By means of a qualitative research design, the researchers discovered that domestic Chinese tourists found their wind farm experiences were typified by interests in sustainability energy, exposure to differing local cultures, the science surrounding wind turbine technology and personal enrichment associated with the sharing of wind farm experiences with family and friends. The primary implication of this study calls for the deployment of collaborative interagency policies which promote wind farming as part of the government's overall sustainable energy platform while also supporting energy tourism as a means of personal enrichment and a form of economic development.
