Motivators of attendance at eco-friendly events

Abstract

Abstract This study identifies the factors that attract U.S. residents to eco-friendly events. To achieve our research objective, we obtained data (N = 1,115) from a cross-national, web-based survey distributed to consumers 18 to 65 years of age living in the continental United States. The questionnaire was comprised of five multi-item summated rating scales adapted from the research literature: (1) environmentalism importance; (2) event motivation (push and pull factors); (3) event values; (4) event retention; and (5) sociodemographic information. Data analysis was performed using the SAS® Enterprise MinerTM version 14.1. It identified four intrinsic push factors: “social status promotion,” “making a connection with the environmentally knowledgeable people,” “self-remediation,” and “learning about up-to-date environmentally sustainable products and practices.” There was one extrinsic pull factor: “location.” The findings can help tourism policy and decision makers, planners, marketers (e.g., destination marketing organizations, convention and visitor bureaus), and academic specialists in destination management and marketing.