Pro-Environmental Behavior of Tourists in Ecotourism Scenic Spots: The Promoting Role of Tourist Experience Quality in Place Attachment

Jiantao Zhang, Li Jin, Xinning Pan and Yang Wang ()
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Jiantao Zhang: The School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
Li Jin: The School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
Xinning Pan: College of Economic and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110086, China
Yang Wang: College of Economic and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110086, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-22

Abstract: The pro-environmental behavior of tourists is an important guarantee for the sustainable development of ecotourism scenic spots. This article is based on 806 tourist survey data from two ecotourism scenic spots, making use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the structural equation model (SEM) to explore the impact of tourist experience quality on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. The research findings indicate that (1) the quality of the tourist experience is an important factor affecting the formation of place attachment; (2) the quality of tourism experience directly and positively affects place dependence, and indirectly affects place identity through the mediating factor of place dependence; and (3) the direct impact of tourist experience quality on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is significant, with place attachment playing a mediating role. This article provides inspiration for scenic spots to encourage tourists to engage in pro-environmental behavior. In the process of stimulating tourists to engage in pro-environmental behaviors, ecotourism scenic spots should pay more attention to the tourist experiences and emotional experiences. Scenic spots should make more efforts to improve the quality of the tourist experience, so that tourists can develop a sense of dependence on ecotourism scenic spots, gradually form self-identification with the scenic spots, and engage in environmentally friendly behavior, helping to achieve the sustainable development of ecotourism scenic spots.

Keywords: pro-environment behavior; ecotourism scenic spots; tourist experience quality; place attachment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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