Ecotourism Attitudes Scale

What it measures

Measures tourist attitudes toward ecotourism across nature appreciation, environmental learning motivation, and sustainable behaviour dimensions. Ecotourism attitudes predict willingness to pay premiums for sustainable products, preference for eco-certified accommodation, and engagement in low-impact travel. Widely used in sustainable tourism market segmentation.

Response format

Likert (1–5, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

Environmental Responsibility — commitment to minimising impact (Likert 1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• I try to minimise my environmental impact when travelling.
• I feel responsible for protecting the natural environment when I visit it.
• I am willing to change my travel behaviour to reduce environmental damage.
• I make an effort to learn about the ecology of places I visit.

Cultural Sensitivity — respect for local cultures and communities

• I believe tourists should respect local customs and traditions.
• I try to support local communities when I travel.
• I prefer to interact with local people and learn about their way of life.
• I believe tourism should benefit local communities.

Eco-Attraction Preference — preference for nature-based tourism

• I prefer nature-based tourism experiences over mass tourism.
• I am willing to pay more for environmentally certified tourism products.
• I seek out nature-based activities when I travel.
• I support tourism businesses that demonstrate environmental responsibility.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Three subscale scores. Nature appreciation is highest among hard-core ecotourists; sustainable behaviour scores often show the attitude-behaviour gap. Freely available for research.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2002). Overnight ecotourist market segmentation in the Gold Coast hinterland of Australia. Journal of Travel Research, 40(3), 270–280.

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