The role of social capital in encouraging residents' pro-environmental behaviors in community-based ecotourism

Jingyan Liu, Hailin Qu, Danyu Huang, Gezhi Chen, Xiao Yue, Xinyuan Zhao and Zhuida Liang

Tourism Management, 2014, vol. 41, issue C, 190-201

Abstract: This study integrated the theoretical perspective of social capital into community-based ecotourism (CBET). Two destinations were selected to test the conceptual model to see whether social capital improves cooperation between community residents and the coordination of CBET development, and whether its role is persuasive and encourages residents' pro-environmental behaviors. The sample consisted of 420 residents living in two typical ecotourism destinations in China. Findings from a two-stage structural equation model analysis show that economic benefits have a direct impact on residents' pro-environmental behaviors; and the cognitive, rather than structural social capital has a partially mediating effects on this relationship. These findings indicate that a high level of social capital, particularly the cognitive variant, is instrumental in encouraging residents' pro-environmental behaviors.

Keywords: Social capital; Economic benefits; Local residents; Pro-environmental behaviors; Community participation; Community-based ecotourism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:touman:v:41:y:2014:i:c:p:190-201

DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2013.08.016

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