{"title":"Experiential value and environmentally responsible behavioral intention in rock-climbing tourism: The role of place attachment and biospheric value","authors":"Zhibo Tian , Qiang Zhang , Kyungsik Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.jort.2024.100829","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With increasing emphasis on environmental issues in outdoor leisure tourism, understanding the environmentally responsible behavioral intention (ERBI) of tourists is crucial to sustainable development. We explored the novel chain-mediating effect of experiential value on ERBI through place attachment and biospheric value among 300 recreational climbers in Yangshuo County, Guilin City. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that the experiential value of climbing resorts had a direct effect on place attachment and biospheric value. Experiential value and place attachment had a moderate effect on ERBI, while biospheric value had a positive effect on ERBI. However, experiential value and place attachment indirectly influenced ERBI through the mediating effect of biospheric value. Finally, experiential value indirectly affected ERBI via the chain-mediating effects of place attachment and biospheric value. <strong>These findings extend existing theoretical frameworks by elucidating previously underexplored chain-mediation relationships. Practical insights derived from this study include strategies for enhancing the management and environmental protection of rock-climbing resorts. These strategies should focus on deepening the emotional connection between recreational climbers and the environment through innovative marketing approaches that emphasize tailored environmental protection activities, community involvement, and sustainable tourism practices.</strong></div></div><div><h3>Management implications</h3><div>The findings suggest three innovative strategies, building on existing practices, to foster sustainable tourism in rock-climbing resorts by connecting tourists with the environment. First, immersive programs such as ecotourism, wildlife observation, and multimedia experiences would enhance experiential value. These programs can promote environmentally responsible behavior by actively engaging tourists in environmental education and encouraging deeper interactions with nature, fostering place attachment and biospheric values. Second, content marketing, including storytelling and environmental campaigns that emphasize the ecological significance of rock-climbing resorts could position them as advocates for environmental conservation, especially ecosystem and biodiversity preservation. Third, personalized marketing can strengthen place attachment. Tourists could share personal photos on social media and receive symbolic rewards, such as sustainable tourism certificates. These strategies will actively engage tourists in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism efforts, foster long-term participation, and enhance the unique appeal of resorts as leaders in eco-friendly tourism.</div></div><div><h3>Management implications</h3><div>The findings suggest three innovative strategies, building on existing practices, to foster sustainable tourism in rock-climbing resorts by connecting tourists with the environment. First, immersive programs such as ecotourism, wildlife observation, and multimedia experiences would enhance experiential value. These programs can promote environmentally responsible behavior by actively engaging tourists in environmental education and encouraging deeper interactions with nature, fostering place attachment and biospheric values. Second, content marketing, including storytelling and environmental campaigns that emphasize the ecological significance of rock-climbing resorts could position them as advocates for environmental conservation, especially ecosystem and biodiversity preservation. Third, personalized marketing can strengthen place attachment. Tourists could share personal photos on social media and receive symbolic rewards, such as sustainable tourism certificates. These strategies will actively engage tourists in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism efforts, foster long-term participation, and enhance the unique appeal of resorts as leaders in eco-friendly tourism.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism-Research Planning and Management","volume":"48 ","pages":"Article 100829"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism-Research Planning and Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213078024000975","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
With increasing emphasis on environmental issues in outdoor leisure tourism, understanding the environmentally responsible behavioral intention (ERBI) of tourists is crucial to sustainable development. We explored the novel chain-mediating effect of experiential value on ERBI through place attachment and biospheric value among 300 recreational climbers in Yangshuo County, Guilin City. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that the experiential value of climbing resorts had a direct effect on place attachment and biospheric value. Experiential value and place attachment had a moderate effect on ERBI, while biospheric value had a positive effect on ERBI. However, experiential value and place attachment indirectly influenced ERBI through the mediating effect of biospheric value. Finally, experiential value indirectly affected ERBI via the chain-mediating effects of place attachment and biospheric value. These findings extend existing theoretical frameworks by elucidating previously underexplored chain-mediation relationships. Practical insights derived from this study include strategies for enhancing the management and environmental protection of rock-climbing resorts. These strategies should focus on deepening the emotional connection between recreational climbers and the environment through innovative marketing approaches that emphasize tailored environmental protection activities, community involvement, and sustainable tourism practices.
Management implications
The findings suggest three innovative strategies, building on existing practices, to foster sustainable tourism in rock-climbing resorts by connecting tourists with the environment. First, immersive programs such as ecotourism, wildlife observation, and multimedia experiences would enhance experiential value. These programs can promote environmentally responsible behavior by actively engaging tourists in environmental education and encouraging deeper interactions with nature, fostering place attachment and biospheric values. Second, content marketing, including storytelling and environmental campaigns that emphasize the ecological significance of rock-climbing resorts could position them as advocates for environmental conservation, especially ecosystem and biodiversity preservation. Third, personalized marketing can strengthen place attachment. Tourists could share personal photos on social media and receive symbolic rewards, such as sustainable tourism certificates. These strategies will actively engage tourists in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism efforts, foster long-term participation, and enhance the unique appeal of resorts as leaders in eco-friendly tourism.
Management implications
The findings suggest three innovative strategies, building on existing practices, to foster sustainable tourism in rock-climbing resorts by connecting tourists with the environment. First, immersive programs such as ecotourism, wildlife observation, and multimedia experiences would enhance experiential value. These programs can promote environmentally responsible behavior by actively engaging tourists in environmental education and encouraging deeper interactions with nature, fostering place attachment and biospheric values. Second, content marketing, including storytelling and environmental campaigns that emphasize the ecological significance of rock-climbing resorts could position them as advocates for environmental conservation, especially ecosystem and biodiversity preservation. Third, personalized marketing can strengthen place attachment. Tourists could share personal photos on social media and receive symbolic rewards, such as sustainable tourism certificates. These strategies will actively engage tourists in environmental conservation and sustainable tourism efforts, foster long-term participation, and enhance the unique appeal of resorts as leaders in eco-friendly tourism.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism offers a dedicated outlet for research relevant to social sciences and natural resources. The journal publishes peer reviewed original research on all aspects of outdoor recreation planning and management, covering the entire spectrum of settings from wilderness to urban outdoor recreation opportunities. It also focuses on new products and findings in nature based tourism and park management. JORT is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary journal, articles may focus on any aspect of theory, method, or concept of outdoor recreation research, planning or management, and interdisciplinary work is especially welcome, and may be of a theoretical and/or a case study nature. Depending on the topic of investigation, articles may be positioned within one academic discipline, or draw from several disciplines in an integrative manner, with overarching relevance to social sciences and natural resources. JORT is international in scope and attracts scholars from all reaches of the world to facilitate the exchange of ideas. As such, the journal enhances understanding of scientific knowledge, empirical results, and practitioners'' needs. Therefore in JORT each article is accompanied by an executive summary, written by the editors or authors, highlighting the planning and management relevant aspects of the article.