Ecotourism and environmental awareness: an environmental education strategy for university students

The objective of this article was to evaluate the relationship between ecotourism and environmental awareness among university students in the Surcolombian region. For this purpose, the variables of ecotourism (independent variable) and environmental awareness (dependent variable) were approached as multidimensional variables. The study was quantitative, using the deductive method and a descriptive type of research. The population studied was university students and the sample was non-probabilistic in its typology by convenience. A total of 577 university students from the Surcolombiana region were surveyed. For the variables of ecotourism and environmental awareness, instruments were developed by the researchers based on multiple existing studies in the literature. To determine the level of confidence, Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability were used, and to establish validity, the Mean Explained Variance and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used, obtaining satisfactory levels of confidence and validity. The results obtained showed a positive and significant relationship between the ecotourism experience and environmental awareness (0,694; p < 0.00). In conclusion, the results reinforce the idea that ecotourism can be an environmental education strategy that allows better levels of environmental awareness in the younger generations, which can contribute to the preservation of the environment. Finally, the findings were in agreement with those found in research that demonstrate a certain causal relationship between the variables.