Environmental Literacy on Ecotourism: A Study on Student Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavioral Intentions in China and Taiwan

Wei-Ta Fang, Ching-Yu Lien, Yueh-Wen Huang, Guosheng Han, Guey-Shin Shyu, Jui-Yu Chou and Eric Ng
Additional contact information
Wei-Ta Fang: Graduate Institute of Environmental Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
Ching-Yu Lien: Department of Tourism Management, School of Geography and Tourism, Jiaying University, Meizhou 514015, China
Yueh-Wen Huang: Department of Tourism, Shih Hsin University, Taipei 11604, Taiwan
Guosheng Han: Department of Tourism Management, School of Business Administration, Shandong University at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China
Guey-Shin Shyu: Department of Tourism, Tungnan University, Shenkeng, New Taipei City 22202, Taiwan
Jui-Yu Chou: Department of Biology, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua 50007, Taiwan
Eric Ng: School of Management and Enterprise, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-22

Abstract: This study aims to gain further insights to Chinese and Taiwanese university students’ environmental literacy on ecotourism. A structural equation model is developed and validated in an effort to explore the differences between Chinese and Taiwanese university students in terms of their environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, and behavioral intentions. The results showed that the ecotourism perception of Chinese and Taiwanese university students affect their behavioral intentions. Chinese university students exhibited a higher correlation between ecotourism knowledge and behavioral intentions than their Taiwanese counterparts. The findings also revealed differences between the Chinese and Taiwanese students in their perception of ecotourism, and this disparity was particularly evident with regards to how ecotourism should be governed. A moderate difference in ecotourism behavioral intentions was also identified, in which Taiwanese university students were less likely to engage in self-empowerment or private empowerment, to be more educated in the field of ecotourism than their Chinese counterparts.

Keywords: behavioral studies; ecotourism; education; environmental attitudes; environmentally responsible behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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