Environmentally Responsible Behavior in Ecotourism: Exploring the Role of Destination Image and Value Perception

The perceived value and profile of protected areas visitors: A case study of the Guayas province, Ecuador

“…The evolution in the lifestyles of travelers gives rise to the emergence of new needs, behaviors, and modalities of tourism as it involves tourists who are usually more informed and aware of what they want from their trips. This is the case for tourists who like contact with nature and, among other characteristics, tend to be more sensitive to the environment, show respect for the culture of host destinations and seek to experiment and learn from the place (Chiu et al, 2014;Raj, 2007). The protected natural areas, where the main attraction is natural resources (as well as a set of attributes, products, services, access facilities, etc.)…”

“…Likewise, some scholars recognize social interaction as an important dimension of the quality of experience and a determining factor of perceived val-ue, since it can significantly affect the dimensions of value during the intercultural exchange between local people and tourists. By participating in knowledge development, tourists learn something different from what they are exposed to in their usual environment (Chiu et al, 2014;Rasoolimanesh et al, 2016;Zhang et al, 2017).…”

“…It has been considered a predictor of travelers' intentions (Eid & El-Gohary, 2015), representing a good base for destinations to attract tourists who share common needs and values, offering practical implications for the commercialization of ecotourism experiences (Kim & Park, 2017). Therefore, tourist destinations must increase their capacity to attract new tourists, without neglecting the promotion and conservation of lasting relationships with tourists who have already visited it (Bala et al, 2014), since future behavior assumed by the consumer is the result of the perceived value of each tourist experience (Chiu et al, 2014).…”

“…From this approach, perceived value is recognized as a multidimensional concept which involves individual evaluations on the benefits obtained from the travel experience in comparison with the sacrifices made and which are conditioned by aspects of a rational, affective and social nature (Chiu et al, 2014). That is to say, the perceived value is subject to the judgments of the tourist, whose evaluation of the obtained results involves the information prior to the purchase, the quality of the services, the tourist resources, the surrounding nature, as well as the time, money and effort invested, among other aspects (Jamal & Sharifuddin, 2015).…”

“…In the literature of marketing and tourism, the studies on the perceived value of tourist consumers who like contact with nature (nature-oriented, green, ecological, etc.) highlight the importance of knowing how and which of the attributes of the destination give tourists a greater value during their travel experience; considering that this market segment has an appreciation, understanding and collective assessment of the existence of environmental problems in the world (Chiu et al, 2014;Mostafa, 2007). Hence, this research focuses on analyzing the perceived value in relation to the socio-demographic profile of national and international tourists who have had a specific experience in three protected natural areas: Morro Mangrove Wildlife Refuge, Santay Island National Recreation Area and Samanes National Recreation Area, vulnerable protected areas located in the Province of Guayas in Ecuador.…”