Tourist's level of awareness and attitude about destination ecotourism development: a case study of Munnar, Kerala, India

In the sphere of mass tourism, ecotourism offers a method for promoting conservation and sustainability. Ecotourism differs from mass tourism as it includes recreational activities focusing on environmental conservation, education, and cultural experiences. Previous studies have explored tourists' awareness and attitudes towards ecotourism in various destinations but considering the unique cultural and geographical context of the destination, highlights the need for a destination-specific scale to inform sustainable decision-making. Tourist behavior and attitudes are critical to the tourism destination's long-term viability. This research aimed to study the attitude and awareness levels of tourists in Munnar towards environmentally sustainable tourism. Primary data were collected from the tourists adopting convenient sampling method. The survey results demonstrate that people have a positive attitude and are aware of the importance of environmentally friendly tourism. The findings also show that tourist awareness and attitudes toward Munnar's ecotourism and conservation are highly and strongly associated. Studying traveler understanding and attitudes toward sustainable tourism would be highly beneficial to local governments and ecotourism destination operators in responding to environmentally sustainable tourism and adapting to the need for better tourism practices.