Ecotourism and Grand Challenges: A Gen-Z Perspective in the Context of Lebanon

Over the past years, many studies have shown that the generation aged between 18 and 25, or Gen-Z, has high pro-environmental awareness and behaviors. However, in the context of developing countries facing frequent grand challenges, little is known about how such events impact Gen-Z’s perception of the environment in general and ecotourism in specific. This research aims at tackling the latter, taking Lebanon as a case study and using a mixed-methods approach. Findings indicate high pro-environmental awareness in Lebanese Gen-Z that is not necessarily translated into pro-environmental behaviors. In addition, while Lebanese youth’s ecotourism awareness and practices have improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, this progress was hampered by the severe economic crisis that hit the country.