Effect of environmental perceptions on bicycle travelers’ decision-making process: developing an extended model of goal-directed behavior

Despite the rapid develop of bicycle tourism, research examining decision-making processed for bike-traveling as a leisure-time choice has been insufficient. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the formation of bike travelers’ decisions by extending the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). Specifically, this study incorporated two vital constructs in bicycle tourism, namely environmental connectedness and environmental behavior, into the MGB framework. An on-site survey was administered to collect the data with 394 bicycle tourists in bicycle clubs in China. The results of the structural analysis showed that our extended MGB included a satisfactory level of ability in predicting bike-travelers’ intentions and was superior to the original MGB. Our findings also reveal that two incorporated constructs were significant variables influencing bicycle travelers’ decision formation. Moreover, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and positive anticipated emotion influenced bicycle travelers’ desire, in turn, influenced their behavioral intentions. The implications of this are discussed.     

The value–belief–emotion–norm model: investigating customers’ eco-friendly behavior

Building on a Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) theory, this study set out to develop a value–belief–emotion–norm model as a comprehensive theoretical framework for explicating customers’ pro-environmental decision-making process in a cruise context. Results of the structural analysis revealed that our model satisfactorily fit the data and the proposed relationships were generally supported. Our sequential framework involving the emotional process was superior to the original VBN model and alternative mediator and moderator models, and explained more effectively the decision formation. Moreover, results showed that the integrated emotional process played a vital role in generating moral norms and intentions. Findings further identified the important mediating nature of belief constructs, anticipated emotion, and personal norms.     

Does Gender Affect Korean Tourists' Overseas Travel? Applying the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior

Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing industries, and female travelers continue to contribute to the growth of the industry. However, little conceptual research has been conducted on overseas travel behavior and the role of gender in the decision-making process. Thus, this study examined the sophisticated decision-making process of overseas travel and the moderating effect of gender in the decision-making process, using the model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). The results indicate that the MGB is a powerful framework for explaining overseas travel behavior and that gender plays a critical role during the decision-making process. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed in the discussion section.     

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.     

Dynamic in-destination decision-making: An adjustment model

The study of tourist decision-making usually focuses on destination choice, framed in terms of informational inputs into the rational decision-making processes of individuals. We report on a study of on-site tourist decision-making in the South Island of New Zealand. The framework within which decision-making is conceptualised draws on process accounts derived from work in naturalistic decision-making, and adaptive, situated and embodied cognition, and in this respect the study distinguishes itself from much previous work in this area. One hundred and forty qualitative interviews were analysed thematically to identify four dimensions of an emergent process of decision-making: (In)Flexibility; Location/timing; Social Composition; Stage of Trip. Decision-making varies on these dimensions in line with various ‘Types of Trip’ also identified from the data. This study provides support for process approaches to tourist decision-making and characterises it in terms of a continual process of socially mediated adjustment to features of the destination and overall trip evolution.     

Hotel customers’ environmentally responsible behavioral intention: Impact of key constructs on decision in green consumerism

Since rapidly growing numbers of customers prefer environmentally responsible products, efforts to “green” hotel operations are becoming increasingly important. The study reported here was designed to investigate guests’ intention formation when selecting an environmentally responsible hotel. The intention was to extend the Model of Goal-directed Behavior (MGB) by integrating several essential variables (environmental awareness, perceived effectiveness, and eco-friendly behavior and reputation) in explicating customers’ eco-friendly behavior. Findings from the measurement model indicated that study variables included a satisfactory level of reliability and validity. Results from the structural modeling revealed that the proposed theoretical framework had a strong ability to anticipate intention; incorporated constructs that played a vital role in hotel guests’ decision formation; and identified attitudes and desires that acted as mediators. The role of established variables in the original MGB was redefined. Our model had superior prediction power over the MGB, accounting for guests’ environmentally friendly buying behavior accurately.     

A hierarchical model of technology adoption for small owner-managed travel firms: An organizational decision-making and leadership perspective

This article assesses the diffusion of innovation theory and the technology acceptance model, and explores the factors influencing the decision to engage in technology adoption in small owner-managed travel firms. This is done through the use of the overarching theory of organisational decision-making to identify concepts and constructs which relate to the decision to adopt. The work aims to identify the genesis of adoption decisions in particular where owners are themselves the managers and provide leadership for the organization. After the distillation of factors it was found that due to simple hierarchical structures and decision-making processes which were further exacerbated by immediate self-interest, leadership was the most significant driver. This article goes further to identify leadership typologies at each level of technology adoption in firms.     

Multifaceted trust in tourism service robots

In recognizing the increase in the use of service robots by service industries, identifying the structure of trust in intelligent robots is crucial for tourism studies. This paper first proposes a model of multifaceted trust in service robots comprised of three constructs – performance, process, and purpose – and, second, tests the trust model that considers institution-based trust, trusting belief, and intention. As a result, this paper identified a higher-order formative construct of trust in service robots with the highest importance for a performance construct (Study 1). The antecedents of the multifaceted trust in tourism service robots are then identified (Study 2). This study provides important theoretical and methodological contributions to the fields of information technology and tourism.     

The role of authenticity in forming slow tourists' intentions: Developing an extended model of goal-directed behavior

Despite the rapid growth in the slow tourism industry, research on slow tourists' behavior is rare. This study develops an extended model of goal-directed behavior to more comprehensively explain the formation of tourists' intentions to visit a slow tourism destination. Specifically, the extended model incorporates the critical constructs (i.e., perception of authenticity, knowledge, and information search behavior) into the original model of goal-directed behavior (MGB). The results of an on-site survey (N = 387) revealed that the model provides a satisfactory fit with the data and explains greater amounts of variance in behavioral intention. Three authenticity-related variables formed positive and significant causal relationships with the constructs in the extended model of goal-directed behavior. All the constructs in the original MGB were significant predictors of both desire and intention. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Testing the effects of congruity, travel constraints, and self-efficacy on travel intentions: An alternative decision-making model

Travel decision making has been extensively studied. Various models and theories have been proposed to explain tourist behavior. Taking a new approach, this study applied the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model to explain travel intentions. The MOA model suggests that motivation, opportunity, and ability are major factors influencing travel intentions. This study explored the role of self-congruity, functional congruity, perceived travel constraints, constraint negotiation, and self-efficacy on travel intentions.The proposed model and hypotheses were tested in the context of cruise tourism. An online panel survey was conducted with cruisers. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test both the proposed model and hypothesized relationships among the constructs. All hypotheses except one were supported by the data. The proposed model also had an acceptable fit to the data.     

An investigation of green hotel customers’ decision formation: Developing an extended model of the theory of planned behavior

The current study sought to extend the theory of planned behavior (TPB), which is rooted in the theory of reasoned action (TRA), to more comprehensively explain the formation of customers’ intention to revisit a green hotel. In particular, the extended TPB incorporates the critical constructs in the consumer behavior and marketing literature (i.e., service quality, customer satisfaction, overall image, and frequency of past behavior) into the original TPB model. Results of a structural analysis revealed that the new model provides a better fit with the data, and explains significantly greater amounts of variance in revisit intention in comparison to the TRA and TPB. Added constructs in the new model considerably contribute to improve our understanding of the complicated process of green hotel customers’ decision-making. In this study, all relationships appeared to be significant as conceptualized according to the theory. In addition, a mediating effect of satisfaction and attitude was found. The article includes discussions on theoretical and managerial implications.     

E-satisfaction and continuance intention: The moderator role of online ratings

Given the growing importance of SNSs (social networking sites) in the online decision-making process, the authors present a new applied theory of motivation. Drawing from gratification theory, this study develops a causality model that links online informative motivation (OIM), e-satisfaction, and online ratings to guarantee the online customer’s continuance intention. Although the partial least squares (PLS) findings extracted from a representative sample of 313 hotel customers confirm substantial positive linkages among the above constructs within this causality model, fuzzy set/qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) results take it one step further by reinforcing and refining the existing findings in the contexts of high and low levels of online ratings. Accordingly, implications for theory and practice, as well as research limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.     

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.     

Predicting preventive travel behaviors under the COVID-19 pandemic through an integration of Health Belief Model and Value-Belief-Norm

This study developed a conceptual framework for a preventive travel decision-making process amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, combining the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Value-Belief-Norm (VBN). Analyzing 409 responses collected from an online survey, this study verified the integrated model as a salient theory addressing the importance of social components and health belief factors in affecting behavior. The model revealed that altruistic value influences the HBM variables, whereas personal norms mediate preventive behaviors and beliefs in both VBN and HBM. These findings offer new theoretical insights into decision-making process and provide practitioners with effective crisis management strategies concerning pro-social and health beliefs.     

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.     

Influences on Tourism Development Decision Making: Coastal Local Government Areas in Eastern Australia

With sustainable development and specifically sustainable tourism, decision making is perhaps the area where the impact on the future of communities is most crucial. Understanding better the decision-making process, provides possibly the most important potential tool in the sustainable management of tourism development. This paper examines the influence factors on tourism decision making and sheds some light on how important various influences are in the tourism development decision process. A typology of community decision-making influence factors was examined through research on local government councillors in Australian coastal regions. Three major categories of this typology were identified in the literature and further explored in this study: inter-personal, intra-personal and circumstantial influence. Results from this study show that a number of influence factors which relate to sustainable tourism are considered by councillors to have a more profound effect on their decision making than only the components of social influence theory which has been discussed in much of the literature. Utilising this typology of community decision-making influence factors may form the foundation for further studies of decision making. The results suggest that influence factors on decision makers need to be both understood and taken into consideration for sustainable tourism approaches to be effectively implemented.     

The effect of environmentally friendly perceptions on festival visitors’ decision-making process using an extended model of goal-directed behavior

This study examined the effect of environmentally friendly perceptions on the behavioral intention of visitors at the Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea. The results of the on-site survey (N = 400) reveal that three environmentally friendly perceptions formed positive and significant causal relationships with the constructs in the extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB). Attitude, subjective norm, and positive anticipated emotion affected desire, which, in turn, influenced the behavioral intention. Three elements, volitional, non-volitional, and emotional aspects, were proven to be crucial in comprehending the perceptions and behaviors of the nature-based festival attendees. The findings of this study will shed light on a better understanding of the decision-making processes of festival visitors when environmental issues are incorporated.     

Tackling the complexity of guests' food waste reduction behaviour in the hospitality industry

Food waste reduction represents a significant sustainability and economic problem and is being effectively examined by researchers, organisations, and governments around the world. Yet, guests' decision formation for such sustainable behaviours has not been sufficiently investigated in the hospitality and tourism industry. This study fills such gap, utilising advanced approach to demonstrate how a combination of demographic and socio-economic, attitude and values, and anticipated feelings can stimulate guests' food waste reduction behaviour (FWRB). A conceptual framework has been developed according to complexity theory, which was tested utilising fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 1295 guests. Our empirical findings revealed that no single variable is sufficient to predict guests' behaviours towards food waste reduction, but five casual recipes were identified for stimulating high FWRB. These findings help practitioners to develop new strategies and approaches to stimulate guests' behaviours towards food waste reduction.     

Differential leisure travel decision-making between spouses

Myers, Paul B. and Lewis W. Moncrief, “Differential Leisure Travel Decision-Making Between Spouses,· Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. V, No. 1 January/March 1978, pp. 157–165. Three hypotheses developed by Komarovsky on patterns of decision-making between spouses are examined using 1974 survey data. The leisure use choice analyzed is the selection of a pleasure travel destination, the route of the trip, and the commercial lodging utilized. None of Komarovsky's generalizations were supported by the authors' data. The three hypotheses were that wives in lower status families have comparatively greater influence in making choices; that joint decision-making is most frequent among couples in younger age categories; and that fewer joint decisions tend to be made at the bottom and top of the social hierarchy than among middle income groups. The data suggests that the destination decision is of greatest consequence to all parties concerned in that it is arrived at in more egalitarian fashion. Husbands dominate the route decision overwhelmingly while the lodging decision is shared in most cases, although husbands tend to have greater influence in the decision than wives if the decision is not shared.     

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.