Emerging bicycle tourism and the theory of planned behavior

In this study, we investigated the process of travelers’ decision formation for bicycle touring as a form of sustainable tourism activity. We extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB), using personal norm and past behavior as predictors and the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives as a moderator. Results of the modeling comparison showed that our extended TPB model was superior to the original TPB in predicting intention. Our results from the structural analysis revealed that the hypothesized paths linking attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, personal norm, and intention were supported; and personal norm significantly mediated the impact of subjective norm on intention. Moreover, our proposition that bicycle travelers’ decision-making process would differ based on their level of the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives was generally supported. Overall, our results help us clearly understand the role of volitional and non-volitional processes, personal norm, past behavior, and the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives in explaining the intention formation of bike traveling.     

Exploring the visitors' decision-making process for Airbnb and hotel accommodations using value-attitude-behavior and theory of planned behavior

Accommodation purchase decision is a complex field that makes predictions of revisit intentions hard to examine. Our work explores psychological factors motivating visitors' decision-making concerning accommodation purchases by integrating the theory of planned behavior and value-attitude-behavior model. Using a group of multiple informants in Swiss universities, we performed partial least squares structural equation modeling to assess the impacts of subjective norm, attitude and perception of quality on visitors' revisit intention and loyalty in Airbnb and hotel contexts. Although the influence of said factors on purchase decisions varies in the two contexts, results suggest that subjective norm has an indispensable role in prompting revisit intention towards Airbnb and hotel accommodations. This paper's findings advance our understanding of visitors' decision-making processes concerning traditional hotels and accommodation establishments operating in sharing economy platforms.     

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Identify Beliefs Underlying Visiting the Indiana State Museum

Underpinned by the framework of the theory of planned behavior, this study uncovered the beliefs that could influence individuals' behavior of visiting a museum. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted with visitors at the Indiana State Museum to elicit a range of their behavioral, normative, and perceived behavioral control beliefs with respect to visiting the museum and to determine the strength and importance of the salient beliefs. The findings suggest a consideration of the positive outcomes of visiting the museum—such as learning and socialization, and family members' norm in the design of a persuasive communication intervention.     

Vacationers’ norm-based behavior in developing environmentally sustainable cruise tourism

The cruise industry has faced the greening issue. The present research was designed to explicate cruise travelers’ decision formation for choosing an environmentally responsible cruise product rather than a conventional cruise. To achieve the research purpose, we employed a norm activation theory (NAT) and extended it by including social norms and anticipated feelings. An online survey was used as survey methodology. The validated measures in the previous studies were used. Results of the measurement model assessment revealed that the utilized measures contained a satisfactory level of reliability and validity. Findings from the modeling comparison showed that the proposed extended model included a better ability to predict passengers’ pro-environmental intentions than the original NAT. Our findings further indicated that personal norm and ascribed responsibility played a crucial mediating role; and personal norm has the greatest criticality in the process of generating passengers’ intentions for selecting an environmentally responsible cruise. In sum, our objectives were sufficiently obtained. Our findings provided tourism researchers and cruise practitioners with a sufficient understanding of passengers’ eco-friendly decision-making process related to a cruise product.     

Understanding museum vacationers' eco-friendly decision-making process: strengthening the VBN framework

In the present research, the process of vacationers’ pro-environmental decision formation for environmentally responsible museums was examined. This research employed and broadened the value-belief-norm theory, using satisfaction with green product use, green trust, and frequency of past behavior for green product use as predictors. A structural equation modeling was utilized for modeling comparisons and hypothesis testing. A measurement model tested using the data gathered at museums was found to satisfactorily fit to the data. Newly integrated constructs significantly improved the prediction power of the theory. In addition, results of the structural equation modeling generally supported the proposed relationships. Moreover, a salient role of moral norm was identified. As expected, new environmental paradigm, awareness of consequences, ascribed responsibility, and moral norm played an important mediating role. A parsimonious model with greater prediction power than the original value-belief-norm theory was produced through modeling comparisons and the process of testing relationships among research variables. Our results offer a sufficient understanding of vacationers’ pro-environmental intention for eco-friendly museums.     

Guests’ pro-environmental decision-making process: Broadening the norm activation framework in a lodging context

This study sought to provide a clear understanding of hotel guests’ post-purchase decision-making process, and whether it occurred in an environmentally responsible manner. Volitional, emotional, experiential, and habitual processes imperative in pro-social/pro-environmental consumer behavior were successfully integrated into the Norm Activation Model (NAM). Results of the structural model and metric-invariance test with 316 samples gathered via an online survey indicated that the extended norm activation framework comprising such important processes and interpretation of the NAM as a sequential model was more effective in predicting guests’ pro-environmental intention than the original NAM and the rival model, which offered an alternative interpretation of the NAM (moderator model). Additionally, the prominent role of moral norm was evident; this personal obligation served to mediate the proposed theoretical framework. Our results also generally supported hypothesized associations among study constructs. Our theoretical model provided a sufficient level of prediction power for guests’ pro-environmental intentions.     

Fostering customers' pro-environmental behavior at a museum

Understanding visitors' pro-environmental behavior is vital as sustainability is currently a critical issue in the museum industry, yet visitors' pro-environmental decision-making process has not been sufficiently investigated. This study fills this void in the extant tourism literature. While the theoretical base for comprehending the nature of museum visitors' pro-environmental behaviors is still in the introduction stage, our proposed framework for encouraging pro-environmental behavior among museum visitors including cognitive variables, affective variables, willingness to sacrifice, connectedness to nature and pro-environmental intentions was supported through empirical testing. The present study also contributes to helping museum researchers and practitioners clearly understand the dynamic role of each study construct in generating museum visitors' intentions for environmentally responsible behaviors while visiting a museum.     

Non-compliance in national parks: An extension of the theory of planned behaviour model with pro-environmental values

Non-compliance at national parks is a major problem around the world. This study focused on visitors' intentions to venture off-trail at the Blue Mountains National Park, Australia (BMNP). An extension of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with the new ecological paradigm of pro-environmental values (NEP) was developed and tested to understand visitors’ off-trail intentions. We surveyed 325 BMNP visitors through convenience sampling. Subjective norm was the strongest predictor followed by attitudes. The role of perceived behavioural control was not significant. The proposed extended TPB model had a marginal relationship between pro-environmental values and intentions using regression analysis. The overall study results suggested that the role of pro-environmental values is more suitable for predicting general environmental worldviews as compared to the TPB being more suitable for predicting specific behavioural intentions.     

Emerging youth tourism: fostering young travelers’ conservation intentions

Greening is one of the most important issues faced by the tourism industry today. Nevertheless, theoretical and empirical research on young travelers’ sustainable behaviors is scarce. This study developed a conceptual framework involving biospheric value, environmental concern, environmental awareness, ascribed responsibility, and moral norm in order to better explain young travelers’ pro-environmental decision-making process. A total of seven hypotheses were proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that the postulated theoretical model satisfactorily accounted for three dimensions of young tourists’ environmentally responsible intentions; the study variables are all significantly related; and the mediating impact of moral norm and environmental concern was evident. Moreover, the prominent role of moral norm in forming intentions was noteworthy. Our findings from the invariance test further indicated that environmental awareness and ascribed responsibility acted as moderators. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Understanding museum visitor satisfaction and revisit intentions through mobile guide system: moderating role of age in museum mobile guide adoption

Drawing from the extended technology acceptance model, we develop and test a model that links the perceived characteristics of mobile guide system to visitor satisfaction toward mobile guide system and its effect on overall museum experience. Data were collected from 408 museum visitors who have used mobile guide system in National Museum of Korea. The results found that perceived usefulness (PU), perceived enjoyment, and perceived interactivity had direct positive effects on visitor satisfaction toward mobile guide system. In addition, we found the moderating role of age between PU and satisfaction toward the mobile guide system. Furthermore, this study revealed that the experience of using museum mobile guide system was significantly associated with the overall experience of visiting the museum.     

The role of co-creation experience in forming tourists' revisit intention to home-based accommodation: Extending the theory of planned behavior

This study aims to provide a theoretical framework explaining how tourists' revisit intentions to home-based accommodations are formed. It does so by inserting constructs related to co-creation experience (experiencescape, perceived value, and memorability) into the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and by considering the moderating effect of co-creation behavior. The study results (n = 413) from structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that the extended TPB has better predictive power than the original TPB. The findings also showed that all proposed paths were significant, identified the role of co-creation experience in generating intention, and verified the mediating role of study variables. Furthermore, the invariance test indicated that tourists' co-creation behavior played a moderating role between experiencescape and customers' internal factors (perceived value, memorability, and attitude). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Key factors maximizing art museum visitors’ satisfaction,commitment, and post-purchase intentions

As there is a lack of empirical research examining art museum visitors’ post-purchase behaviors, this study tested the theoretical associations among image congruence, quality, affective experiences, satisfaction, and commitment to build a sturdy model of behavioral intentions. The concept of involvement was also included as a moderator. A field survey at art museums was conducted. The level of construct validity and reliability for all variables were satisfactory. Results of the structural model revealed that the proposed theoretical framework sufficiently accounted for the variance in intentions. Satisfaction was of greatest importance in generating intentions. Commitment and satisfaction acted as important mediators. Among nine hypothesized direct linkages, eight hypotheses were supported. Findings from the invariance model assessment supported the moderating influence of involvement on the relationships among quality, satisfaction, commitment, and intentions. The strength of such relationships among these variables was greater when museum visitors’ involvement level was high.     

Testing the sufficiency of the theory of planned behavior: a case of customer dissatisfaction responses in restaurants

This study tested the sufficiency of both the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the extended TPB models by adding the variable of past behavior. In addition, the present study examined the mediating role of the TPB variables on the relationships between past behavior and customers’ intentions to engage in different types of dissatisfaction responses (i.e., voice, negative word-of-mouth communication, and exit). Results of the study demonstrated the strong predictive power of the original TPB mode but the inclusion of past behavior did not significantly improve the predictability of the three dissatisfaction response intentions. Furthermore, the mediating analyses indicated that the influence of past behavior was mediated by TPB variables. In the contexts of negative word-of-mouth communication, the effect of past behavior on intention was mediated by attitude. Meanwhile, both subjective norm and perceived behavioral control mediated the relationship between past behavior and the intention to engage in voice behavior.     

Investigating beliefs,attitudes, and intentions regarding green restaurant patronage: An application of the extended theory of planned behavior with moderating effects of gender and age

This study aims to identify customer belief structures underlying the cognitive process of green restaurant patronage by applying the extended theory of planned behavior (TPB). The extended TPB model includes two additional predictors (past behavior and dining frequency) and two moderators (gender and age) to predict customers’ intention to visit green restaurants. This study followed recommended two-phase survey procedures. Salient beliefs of the target population were elicited in the first phase, and the relationships between those beliefs and other TPB constructs were analyzed in the second phase. Perceived behavioral control emerged as the most significant determinant followed by attitude and subjective norm in the Korean green restaurant context. The findings support the inclusion of past behavior as an additional predictor and confirm the moderating effects of gender and age. This study provides useful implications for effective marketing strategies for green restaurants.     

Satisfaction Measurement of Small Tourism Sector (Museum): Samoa

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of the Robert Louis Stevenson (RLS) museum in Samoa in the measurement of tourist satisfaction. A correlation model was performed to determine the relationship of the satisfaction and attributes of the museum and visitors' intention to recommend the museum. In addition, an analysis of variance was employed to determine any significant differences among different demographic or trip characteristics groups. The results show that the visitor who has a high satisfaction intends to recommend the RLS museum to others. The implications of the study's findings concerned initiatives to expand its market to international tourists, especially Americans and Asians.     

Understanding guests’ behavior to visit green hotels: The role of ethical ideology and religiosity

The main aim of this study is to develop and test a model to understand guests’ behavior to visit green hotel by merging the theory of planed behavior (TPB) with theories of ethics and religiosity in a single model. Furthermore, it examines the moderating role of ethical ideology. This research utilized a quantitative method to assess the suggested conceptual framework. Data were gathered from 871 participants and analyzed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). According to the study results, the suggested model shows a favorable prediction level of guests’ behavior, which confirmed the superiority of the proposed model. Our study indicated that TPB and ethical theory adequately explain guests’ behavior to visit green hotel. Ethical ideology was found to be a key driver of guests’ green decision-making process. Our study makes several contributions to the practice and theory by providing useful insights on drivers of consumers’ behavior to visit green hotels in the Egyptian hospitality environment.     

Reinterpreting the theory of planned behavior and its application to green hotel consumption intention

The main aim of this paper was to understand a guest’s decision to stay at a green hotel by using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) developed by Ajzen (1991). The population for this study was green hotel customers in Taiwan. A total of 425 usable responses were received from the willing participants around the parking area of green hotels. This study performed a PLS-SEM to examine the proposed model. The results of this study showed that social pressure has very little direct impact on behavioral intention to stay at a green hotel. The results of the estimated standardized regression coefficients and t-values indicated that perceived behavioral control has a slightly higher impact on behavioral intention than attitude. This study also verified the proposed mediating relationships between the first-order and second-order antecedents. This study provided theoretical and managerial implications for understanding respondents’ decision to stay at a green hotel.     

Intention to pay conventional-hotel prices at a green hotel – a modification of the theory of planned behavior

Numerous studies have employed the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand customers’ behaviors in various fields, but none has tested and extended the theory to explain customers’ decision formation to pay comparable regular-hotel prices for a green hotel. This is the first study designed to test and modify the TPB by including environmental concerns, perceived customer effectiveness and environmentally conscious behaviors, which are critical in explaining eco-friendly consumer behaviors. Salient belief items were identified using an elicitation method (focus group and open-ended survey). A survey obtained 389 respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that measurement items for all study variables had an adequate level of reliability and validity. The findings from the structural equation modeling showed that the proposed model had a satisfactory fit to the data and better predicted hotel customers’ intention than the original TPB. The results also indicated that all antecedent variables of intention significantly contributed to forming the intention to pay conventional-hotel prices for a green hotel. Respondents were happy to have minor inconveniences, e.g. reusing towels and using recycled products, and were keen to learn about the positive environmental attributes of green hotels. Benefit awareness was shown to be important in customer decision-making.