Sustainable development in wetland tourism: The impacts of gratitude to nature and connectedness to nature on environmentally responsible behavior

Abstract

Wetlands provide valuable habitats for numerous species, yet face increasingly severe degradation issues. Enhancing tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior is a crucial pathway for promoting sustainable development in wetland tourism. This study proposed a dual mediation model based on the extended S-O-R model and validated the mechanisms of gratitude to nature and connectedness to nature in the wetland tourism experiences and environmentally responsible behavior. Using PLS-SEM, data from 1302 Chinese tourists were examined. The results indicated that both resource environment experience and facility management experience have a positive impact on gratitude to nature and connectedness to nature, while both gratitude to nature and connectedness to nature exert a positive influence on environmentally responsible behavior. Furthermore, gratitude to nature and connectedness to nature mediate the relationship between resource environment experience and environmentally responsible behavior. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in examining the impact of external environmental stimuli in wetland tourism on tourists’ subsequent psychological states and environmentally responsible behaviors. By introducing two context-specific organisms tailored to the wetland tourism, it expands the S-O-R model. The findings verify S-O-R theory’s applicability and offer insights for extending the model in specific tourism scenarios. Lastly, this study provides managerial implications for promoting the sustainable development of wetland tourism.