Journal of Ecotourism

Aims & Scope

The Journal of Ecotourism is the world's only international journal that focuses specifically on ecotourism and nature-based tourism, and it is considered to be the leading source for knowledge on these topics.

The Journal of Ecotourism seeks to advance the field by examining the social, economic, and ecological aspects of ecotourism at a number of scales, and including regions from around the world.

The Journal welcomes conceptual, theoretical, and empirical research, particularly where it contributes to the dissemination of new ideas and models of ecotourism planning, development, management, and good practice.

While the focus of the Journal rests on a type of tourism based principally on tourists’ interest in the natural history of destinations, and how these events are planned, developed and managed, the Journal also considers papers that investigate ecotourism as part of a broader nature-based tourism.

Papers will also be accepted on related forms of tourism like wildlife tourism, responsible tourism, and moral issues in ecotourism and nature-based tourism contexts.

More specifically, papers will be considered that investigate issues related to community development, ecotourism typologies, parks and protected areas, impacts, policy, accreditation and certification, risk management, marketing, interpretation and education, poverty alleviation and issues of justice and rights through ecotourism, and the range of ethical issues tied to the use of animals in ecotourism and nature-based tourism.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	2.4
2024	2.40

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	8360

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	367

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.682

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	50

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Business, Management and Accounting and Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Ecotourism: The Evolving Contemporary Definition

  Citation: 208

  Authors: Holly M., Roger D.

• Wildlife Viewing Preferences of Visitors to Protected Areas in South Africa: Implications for the Role of Ecotourism in Conservation

  Citation: 187

  Authors: Peter A., R., M.G.L., S., R.

• The Shark Watching Industry and its Potential Contribution to Shark Conservation

  Citation: 130

  Authors: Karen N., Philip

• The Economic Promise of Ecotourism for Conservation

  Citation: 127

  Authors: Amanda

• Ecotourism and natural resource conservation: the ‘potential’ for a sustainable symbiotic relationship

  Citation: 126

  Authors: B. Bynum, Gary T.

• Ecotourism as a Western Construct

  Citation: 121

  Authors: Erlet

• Local Participation in the Planning and Management of Ecotourism: A Revised Model Approach

  Citation: 114

  Authors: Brian

• Nature, Wild Animals and Tourism: An Experiential View

  Citation: 114

  Authors: Susanna

• Ecotourism: A Consumption Perspective

  Citation: 112

  Authors: Richard

• The Use of Importance–Performance Analysis and Market Segmentation for Tourism Management in Parks and Protected Areas: An Application to Tanzania's National Parks

  Citation: 112

  Authors: Derek J., Paul F.J.

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