Antecedents of environmental engagement and environmental learning behaviour

Abstract

Purpose

Recent studies have classified ecotourism behaviour into specific components like site-specific ecological, pro-environmental and environmental learning behaviour. However, the role of materialism in generating these types of behaviour is not clearly understood. Materialism might also affect tourists' environmental engagement. Hence, this study embarks on exploring these research gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

All the constructs were operationalized as first-order factors based on extant scales of measurement. After suitable pretesting, the study was able to collect 122 valid responses. The responses were analysed using partial least squares (PLS).

Findings

Results suggest that environmental engagement and environmental learning behaviour have prominent roles as enablers. Furthermore, the importance of materialism is not statistically significant and requires further investigation.

Research limitations/implications

While the study showed that environmental engagement is a crucial precursor for the development of different types of ecotourism behaviour, it also has limitations. First, the study tested the validity of the proposed associations based on the perceptual responses of 122 tourists who are interested in participating in ecotourism. However, this may lack generalizability. Future research can take a common set of tourists or a specific destination and execute a longitudinal analysis to better understand the way ecotourism behaviour has evolved over time at a destination. This would in turn help the local people and tour planners to develop tourism packages and events.

Practical implications

As tourists are interested in environmental learning, they are eventually expected to take care of the destination environment in terms of protecting it in every form. This may include reporting of any environment damaging activity, for example, activities that can enhance environmental pollution, etc.

Social implications

Materialism hinders the environmental conservation spree of tourists, when they indulge more in shopping and leisure trips. Hence, for destination planners it is very important to hold complementary events in addition to the main event to highlight the dire need of involving in ecotourism activities.

Originality/value

The study is of significant contribution for researchers and practitioners as it develops the antecedents and consequences of environmental learning behaviour. Furthermore, this study has implications for managers working for sustainability of tourism destinations.

Citation

Manoj, M., Ram Das, A., Chandran, A. and Mandal, S. (2020), "Antecedents of environmental engagement and environmental learning behaviour", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 431-450. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-01-2020-0001