Established on 1 September 2012, the Department of Recreation and Ecotourism began offering the Bachelor of Parks and Recreation Science program since 2011/2012 as it aspires to produce graduates who are professionally ethical and competent in leading and planning programs in the field of nature parks and recreation. The academic staffs in the Department specializes in various fields including Rec
reation Ecology, Recreation Programming, Recreation Entrepreneurship, Outdoor Recreation Skills, Parks Administration Parks Planning and Designing, Environmental Interpretation, Recreation Leadership, Therapeutic Recreation, Wilderness Risk Management, Recreation Economy and Ecotourism. The Department’s establishment is in line with the country’s aspiration in developing the tourism industry towards steering the country’s economy parallel to the principles of sustainable tourism. Ecotourism being one of the 11 sectors listed under the country’s National Key Economic Areas is set to increase the demand for professional work force in the tourism industry, specifically nature-based tourism. The department is planning to offer the Master in Tropical Ecotourism program that offers courses based on the principles of tropical ecotourism. The programs offered in the Department will enhance the academic programs and expertise available in the Faculty of Forestry and Environment, specifically and Universiti Putra Malaysia as a whole.
