Abstract
Over the past years, many studies have shown that the generation aged between 18 and 25, or Gen-Z, has high pro-environmental awareness and behaviors. However, in the context of developing countries facing frequent grand challenges, little is known about how such events impact Gen-Z’s perception of the environment in general and ecotourism in specific. This research aims at tackling the latter, taking Lebanon as a case study and using a mixed-methods approach. Findings indicate high pro-environmental awareness in Lebanese Gen-Z that is not necessarily translated into pro-environmental behaviors. In addition, while Lebanese youth’s ecotourism awareness and practices have improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, this progress was hampered by the severe economic crisis that hit the country.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Maia Sievering from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) Impact fund for their support.
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Daou, A., El Zeenni, L., Hourani, A., Talhouk, S.N. (2024). Ecotourism and Grand Challenges: A Gen-Z Perspective in the Context of Lebanon. In: Maingi, S.W., Gowreesunkar, V.G., Korstanje, M.E. (eds) Tourist Behaviour and the New Normal, Volume II. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45866-8_18
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