2026
Ecotourism and Exploitation of Natural Resources
Name: Ecotourism and Exploitation of Natural Resources
Code: ECN09807D
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/162 hours
Scientific Area:
Ciências Económicas e Sociais
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
Discussing the potential of ecotourism for conservation and the valorization of natural resources as well as for
local development.
Introducing the main notions, concepts and methods required to analyse ecotourism from a socio-economic
perspective.
local development.
Introducing the main notions, concepts and methods required to analyse ecotourism from a socio-economic
perspective.
Contents
1. Introduction
Notion of ecotourism
Ecotourism facts & figures
Different agendas in ecotourism
2. Ecotourism and the agenda of conservationists
Ecotourism and the conservation of natural resources, ecosystems and landscapes
Market trends and growth potential for the services linked to nature tourism
The conflict between ecotourism as a market-driven economic activity and environmental sustainability
3. The activities and motives of ecotourists
Activities, motivations and attitudes
Typologies of ecotourists
Environmental attitudes and behaviours of tourists
4. Tourism development. Sustainable management strategies
Seizing the economic logics of ecotourism-business agents
Sustainable management strategies and techniques
Certification
5. Local development and socioeconomic impacts
Natural and rural spaces in different socioeconomic contexts
New rural activities and their impact
Social impact assessment
Notion of ecotourism
Ecotourism facts & figures
Different agendas in ecotourism
2. Ecotourism and the agenda of conservationists
Ecotourism and the conservation of natural resources, ecosystems and landscapes
Market trends and growth potential for the services linked to nature tourism
The conflict between ecotourism as a market-driven economic activity and environmental sustainability
3. The activities and motives of ecotourists
Activities, motivations and attitudes
Typologies of ecotourists
Environmental attitudes and behaviours of tourists
4. Tourism development. Sustainable management strategies
Seizing the economic logics of ecotourism-business agents
Sustainable management strategies and techniques
Certification
5. Local development and socioeconomic impacts
Natural and rural spaces in different socioeconomic contexts
New rural activities and their impact
Social impact assessment
Teaching Methods
The course is organized in theoretical-practical classes, continually promoting the participation of students,
and drawing their knowledge in complementary areas; students are activelly requested to apply their previous
knowledge in the study of issues propoesed in the classes.
Students are also asked to read, analyse and present published papers, with a debate being held around more
controversial or relevant topics in ecotourism.
Taking acount of the nature of contents in the syllabus, and the teaching methods used, the evaluation of
students is fundamentally based in two different though complementary components:
- the presentations made by students in the class;
- two written tests covering the entire contents discussed in the classes.
and drawing their knowledge in complementary areas; students are activelly requested to apply their previous
knowledge in the study of issues propoesed in the classes.
Students are also asked to read, analyse and present published papers, with a debate being held around more
controversial or relevant topics in ecotourism.
Taking acount of the nature of contents in the syllabus, and the teaching methods used, the evaluation of
students is fundamentally based in two different though complementary components:
- the presentations made by students in the class;
- two written tests covering the entire contents discussed in the classes.
Accreditations and Certifications
