Exploring Tourists' Environmental Learning, Values and Travel Experiences in Relation to Climate Change: A Postmodern Constructivist Research Agenda

Abstract

There is a need for a research agenda, which achieves a holistic understanding of the nature and influences of environmental learning on tourists' environmental values and travel experiences in relation to climate change. Why, because tourists' environmental values and environmentally friendly behaviour have been the focus of predominantly quantitative studies within the ecotourism context. Such studies generally neglect influences over time and the multiple and diverse nature of tourists' environmental learning experiences along with their social reconstruction. The suggested agenda is predicated on a review of extant literature related to tourists' environmental values, environmental learning and travel experiences. The agenda identifies aims, potential research questions and advocates a postmodern constructivist research paradigm to inform the research agenda. By advancing this research agenda, the article contributes towards the goal of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.