تصورات طلبة التعليم الأساسي بسلطنة عمان عن أبعاد السياحة البيئية المستدامة في ضوء بعض المتغيرات

Abstract EN

This study aims to explore the Omani Basic Education students' perceptions of sustainable eco-tourism in light of three variables; namely, gender, educational district and the visit to local tourist sites.

The study adopted the descriptive approach; using a 30-item questionnaire covering three main dimensions, to collect data.

It consisted of 30 statements distributed into three main sustainable dimensions : the environmental dimension, the social dimension, and the economic dimension.

The validity of the instrument was checked by six experts whereas the reliability was assessed by measuring its internal consistency in which the coefficient of Cronbach's alpha reached 0.866.

The study was administered to a sample of 3607 male and female students in grades nine and ten.

Results showed that the level of the perceptions of basic education students about the dimensions of sustainable eco-tourism was positive as the social dimension ranked first, followed by the economic dimension, and finally the environmental dimension.

The results also showed a statistically significant difference in the students' perceptions of the dimensions of sustainable eco-tourism attributed to the variable of the educational governorate in favor of Al Buraimi Governorate in the social dimension, and the variable of visiting tourists' sites in favor of those who visited in overall mean and economic dimension.

The study recommended focusing on school trips to tourist sites, considering them as part of the curriculum, and involving students in attending lectures, scientific forums, and conferences about eco-tourism and its role in sustainable development.