Environmental Concerns and Water Conservation Behavior in Desert Tourism: Applying the Extended Norm Activation Theory for Gen Z Tourists

Zabih-Allah Torabi (), Colin Michael Hall, Nazanin Azarniou and Gholamreza Borzu
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Zabih-Allah Torabi: Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran
Colin Michael Hall: Department of Management, Marketing and Tourism, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Nazanin Azarniou: Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran
Gholamreza Borzu: Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-24

Abstract: This study examines the influence of environmental concerns on water conservation behaviors among Gen Z tourists in Iranian desert regions by extending the Norm Activation Theory (NAT). Adopting a quantitative approach, data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 330 Gen Z tourists (born between 1997 and 2012) who visited four Iranian desert villages (Qale Bala, Mesr, Abyaneh, and Rezaabad) between April and July 2023. Using systematic sampling, every fifth Gen Z tourist was selected. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that environmental concerns, situational responsibility, and personal norms positively impact water conservation behaviors, while denial of responsibility negatively affects them. Personal norms positively influence pride and guilt emotions, which in turn promote water conservation behaviors. The extended model, incorporating environmental concerns, demonstrated improved explanatory power over the original NAT. This research contributes to sustainable tourism literature by integrating environmental concerns and moral emotions into the NAT framework, offering insights into psychological mechanisms driving pro-environmental behaviors among Gen Z tourists in desert environments.

Keywords: water conservation; Gen Z tourists; norm activation theory; environmental concerns; desert tourism; Iran (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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