Abstract (150 Words)
The purpose of this study was to examine the level of understanding of climate change issues and attendant perceptions regarding climate change from a sample of undergraduate college students and the influence the variables of gender and class level had on this level of understanding. Also, this study identified some of the more salient reasons relative to climate change when students make travel-based decisions. Using a Likert-type questionnaire, data were collected from a randomly selected sample in a Midwest college in the United States. The study found that gender has limited influence in overall climate change knowledge and perceptions regarding climate change. Conversely, university class level (year 1-4) had a significant impact on students’ climate change perceptions and understanding of climate change knowledge. These and other findings from the study have important implications for tourism education and curriculum development relative to climate change issues, particularly at the post-secondary and college levels.
College Students’ Knowledge and Perceptions of Tourism Climate Change Impacts: Do Class-Level and Gender Matter?
The purpose of this study was to examine the level of understanding of climate change issues and attendant perceptions regarding climate change from a sample of undergraduate college students and the influence the variables of gender and class level had on this level of understanding. Also, this study identified some of the more salient reasons relative to climate change when students make travel-based decisions. Using a Likert-type questionnaire, data were collected from a randomly selected sample in a Midwest college in the United States. The study found that gender has limited influence in overall climate change knowledge and perceptions regarding climate change. Conversely, university class level (year 1-4) had a significant impact on students’ climate change perceptions and understanding of climate change knowledge. These and other findings from the study have important implications for tourism education and curriculum development relative to climate change issues, particularly at the post-secondary and college levels.
