Sentence Correction

Following is a correct answer according to OG

A proposal has been made to trim the horns from rhinoceroses to discourage poachers; the question is whether tourists will continue to visit game parks and see rhinoceroses once the animals' horns have been trimmed.

But I believe the right answer should be by starting with "If"

If tourists will continue to visit game parks to see one after the animals' horns have been

I believe "Whether" is used to provide a list of alternative possibilities and "if" deals with a conditional statement.Shouldn't "the question is" be followed by "if" rather than "weather"?

Kindly clarify
Thanks

The use of "whether" is correct. The sentence is not a conditional structure but it is an indirectly stated QUESTION. In the GMAT we can use "if" only in conditionals.

"IF" is used for a single condition and requires consequence. for example: inflation can hurt profit IF costs increase [it is sure that inflation will hurt profit only in a condition when costs increase] .....whereas "whether" is used when u have a choice or alternative possibilities. for example: i dont know whether i will go. so in above example their is a possibility of tourists to visit, its not a condition that tourists will only visit the park when rhinoceroses have horns.

Can someone clarify?

GMAT uses 'IF' only for conditional statements. ie ... it has to be followed by 'Then' . In places where this is not applicable one must use 'whether '

Incorrect: - it does not tell us if someone would still be able to go there
Correct - it does not tell us whether someone would still be able to go there.