Defining Canadian ecotourists

Abstract

The definition of an ecotourist is an issue of much debate. Many define an ecotourist based on a list of specific requirements that the tourist must meet, such as age, education level, or income level. We propose that while these characteristics may be useful in forming a general description of an ecotourist, they do not necessarily serve as a basis for a prescriptive definition. For the purposes of this study, a set of three criteria is developed based on knowledge gained from studies on known ecotourist groups. A group of Canadian tourists to Kenya is evaluated against these criteria and found to qualify as ecotourists. We propose that such criteria; a social motive (travelling to learn about nature), a site attraction motive (visiting wilderness or undisturbed areas) and time commitment (33% of trip), can be used to define ecotourists.