Environmental Awareness of Tourism and Hospitality (Generation Z) Students
This paper analyzes the environmental awareness of Generation Z students taking up Hospitality and Tourism in the Philippines. Using the New Ecological Paradigms (NEP) scale, this study seeks to determine the environmental values of this generation of students and how their choice of course (Hospitality or Tourism), year level, and gender may play a role in their awareness level. This inquiry addresses the research gap reflected in the lack of study on the environmental awareness of Generation Z, who are currently university students from Southeast Asian countries, especially those majoring in Tourism and Hospitality. The result showed that Generation Z is more inclined to having a pro-environmental or ecocentric worldview and a somewhat anthropocentric worldview. The course/major of the students, gender, and year level significantly affect the students’ answers to some NEP statements, most of which are based on anthropometric viewpoints. These results show that the students believe in the change that humans can create, which supports the mentality of this generation, which includes attraction to initiatives that foster social change. This result also showed that this generation believes that humanity can and will be able to promote change.
Keywords: New Environmental Paradigm, New Ecological Paradigm, environmental awareness, sustainability, Generation Z, Hospitality and Tourism students