Impact of environmental belief and nature-based destination image on ecotourism attitude
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
ISSN: 2514-9792
Article publication date: 6 August 2020
Issue publication date: 12 August 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the direct and indirect impact of environmental belief, nature-based destination image and time perspective on tourist attitude towards ecotourism.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected through a structured questionnaire survey conducted in Vietnam. The dataset consists of 479 valid responses by Vietnamese tourists. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to test the causal relationships among time perspective, environmental belief, nature-based destination and ecotourism attitude. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is conducted to verify the reliability and validity of each latent construct, and to evaluate the discriminant validity, convergent validity, composition reliability and average variance extracted (AVE) for the latent constructs.
Findings
This study finds statistically significant and positive effects of time perspective, environmental belief and nature-based destination image on ecotourism attitude. The results also indicate that environmental belief is found to have statistically significant effects both direct and indirect on ecotourism attitude; its indirect effect is transmitted through nature-based destination image. Our findings demonstrate empirically that tourists are mainly attracted by natural environment sites and that tourists having environmental beliefs are likely to engage in ecotourism than other types of tourism by first influencing their attitude.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation is associated with our measurement method, which relies on respondents’ self-ratings of their activities. Second, our study is based on internal consistency assessments for establishing construct reliability and validity, which might be the problem of measurement misspecification in tourism research and hinder us to adequately capture the dynamic nature of the variables and the underlying relationships. Third, the survey is conducted in one specific ecotourism nation like Vietnam, and thus, the findings must also be explained in this case.
Practical implications
Policymakers need to pay careful attention to the planning and conservation of local resources, as well as infrastructure, for ecotourism development. Moreover, the management of eco-site needs to maintain ecology properly, provide an authentic ecotourism experience to improve ecotourism destination. Otherwise, ecotourism operators should focus on marketing strategies to increase traditional and natural values and promote eco-friendly social standards for fostering demand.
Originality/value
This study examines an integrated model analyzing the impact of time perspective, environmental belief and nature-based destination on tourist attitude towards ecotourism. This study reveals the understanding of how individuals’ view towards belief in environment and location image, influences their attitude to engage in ecotourism. The study provides several implications for practice.
Keywords
Citation
Thi Khanh, C.N. and Phong, L.T. (2020), "Impact of environmental belief and nature-based destination image on ecotourism attitude", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 489-505. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-03-2020-0027
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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