What is Ecotourists

Tourism offers both advantages and disadvantages to the involved countries. Ecotourism emerges as a tourism segment based on the principles of sustainable tourism, oriented to the preservation of nature, respect for local traditions and customs, interest in the history and culture of the destination, encouragement of intercultural communication, and aid to the local economy. This study aims to understand how students of tourism from the Porto Polytechnic Institute, in Portugal, know and define it. Additionally, it aims to understand how many of these students have participated in typology activities and the reasons that led them to do so. A quantitative research with 123 students (44% of the universe) was conducted and the results showed that 23% of students know the four basic principles of ecotourism and about half have experience in the practice of it. The main motivation is related to “contact with nature.” Finally, it is discussed how ecotourism can be seen as a way of empowerment of students, regarding sustainability and the well-being of our environment and its inhabitants.