Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to determine the role of ecotourism as an educational tool in promoting environmental sustainability among university students. It explores the experiential and emotional educational potential of ecotourism grounded in the theories of sustainable development, eco-education, and experiential learning. Research methodology: A mixed-methods research design was utilized, combining qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with longitudinal quantitative analysis across four semesters (G1–G4). A sample of 100 students completed an Environmental Sustainability Metrics (ESM) questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA, t-tests, regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings: Ecotourism programs led to statistically significant, sustained increases in environmental knowledge (p < 0.01) and ecological values (p < 0.001) over four semesters. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that environmental values had a stronger direct effect on sustainable behavior (β = 0.47) than knowledge did (β = 0.31). Additionally, geography students scored higher than economics students, highlighting the impact of educational context and institutional support. Qualitative analysis reinforced these findings, identifying core themes such as "sustainable attitude change" alongside "contextual barriers." Originality: This study demonstrates that ecotourism serves as a highly effective higher education strategy for fostering environmental awareness. It uniquely bridges theory and practice by offering concrete curricular recommendations, including the development of interfaculty programs, the creation of sustainability-oriented campus infrastructure, and the implementation of community-based service-learning projects.