A Comprehensive Eco-Tourism Behaviour Model of Chinese Domestic Tourists: Case of Yunnan, China

Abstract

Eco-tourism as a modern tourism model has become the popular trend with the fastest development in the tourism industry; tourists' eco-tourism behavior has become the key to the environmental protection of eco-tourism destinations. The study explores the factors of eco-tourism behavior among Chinese domestic tourists. It constructs a comprehensive ecotourism behavior model (CEBM) combined with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), whose functions are environmental attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behaviour control. The theory of interpersonal behaviour (TIB) functions environmental attitude, social factors, affect, and habit, along with three additional variables: policies and regulations, publicity and education, and demographic factors. In the present study, positivism is chosen as the research paradigm linked to deductive theory, takes TPB and TIB as the starting point, and establishes a comprehensive eco-tourism behaviour model (CEBM) as a conceptual framework. By applying purposive sampling techniques, several travel agencies will be approached in China to confirm the data of Chinese domestic tourists with tourism experience of Yulong Snow Mountain or any other eco-tourism destination within Yunnan Province, China. Once target tourists are identified, using convenience random sampling techniques will approach samples. The online survey links will be passed to travel agents given to the specified targets. The questionnaire surveys plan to be conducted from September 2021 to June 2022 for ten months. Minimum 500 respondents will be contacted to fill up the survey. The SPSS 24 soft package for preliminary data analysis, the PLS-SEM technology will be used to test the proposed model-comprehensive eco-tourism behaviour model. This study constructs a comprehensive eco-tourism behaviour model that integrates planned behaviour and interpersonal behaviour theories, along with multiple predictors that expand the existing literature reserve and increase the existing literature value. Exploring the suitable predictors for the CEBM toward the eco-tourism behaviour performance of Chinese domestic tourists is the value of the current study. The study highlights the causal relationships of various predictors in terms of path directions of the proposed model - CEBM. It assesses ecotourism behaviour as a multidimensional construction to capture a large variety of ecotourism activities in China and improve the performance behaviour of Chinese domestic tourists and the sustainable development ability of tourism destinations. The comprehensive eco-tourism behaviour model (CEBM) lays out a method for managers and researchers to create critical insights to grasp the factors that influence eco-tourism behaviour accurately. Governments and policymakers will use the findings of this research to design and implement environmental conservation programs that encourage a more sustainable lifestyle. The Society will benefit from the awareness of predictors embedded within the framework, the willingness to carry out the ecotourism behaviour in this research, better publicity of environmental knowledge, universal environmental education, and innovative policies and regulations.