An Examination of Values and Environmental Attitudes Among Ecotourists: A Descriptive Study Involving Three Samples

Abstract

This study examines the values and environmental attitudes of three independent samples of ecotourists, including (i) Polish ecotourists, (ii) Canadian ecotourists visiting Costa Rica, and (iii) American ecotourists visiting Mexico. The purpose is to provide a base of cross-cultural data on contemporary measurement scales which have utility in allowing researchers to better understand the ecotourist. The paper further discusses these groups in the context of the ACE tourism framework, which suggests that ecotourists can be differentiated on the basis of adventure, culture, and natural history according to programme offerings, setting, and other factors.

Keywords:

• ecotourism
• environmental attitudes
• values
• Poland
• Costa Rica
• Mexico