The influence of place attachment on the relationship between destination attractiveness and environmentally responsible behavior for island tourism in Penghu, Taiwan

Abstract

This study examines the causal relationships between place attachment, destination attractiveness and environmentally responsible behavior (ERB), and the mediating effect of place attachment. Four hundred and thirteen tourists were surveyed who had visited the Penghu islands, Taiwan. Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine the relationships among the variables and the mediating effects. Results show that the emotions and feelings (place attachment), which tourists have for Penghu, are positively associated with stronger ERB; the extent of attractiveness of island tourism as perceived by tourists is also positively associated with stronger ERB. A higher level of tourists' destination attractiveness in regard to island tourism is associated with stronger place attachment; place attachment was found to exert a significant effect in mediating the relationship between destination attractiveness and ERB. The study shows that when island tourists are attracted by and are attached to the destination, they are more likely to exhibit ERB. The study pioneers the integration of all three factors in a sustainable tourism behavior model designed for tourists who stay one night or more at a destination, and tests the hypotheses for the first time in an Asian destination. Management implications and recommendations for the sustainable development of Penghu islands tourism are provided.

Residents’ Attitudes towards Sustainable Tourism Development in a Historical-Cultural Village: Influence of Perceived Impacts, Sense of Place and Tourism Development Potential

“…However, the majority of tourism scholars measured sense of place as place attachment in two aspects: an emotional connection called place identification and a functional association called place dependence [51][52][53][54][55].…”

Factors that influence engagement in on-site environmentally responsible behaviours at music festivals

“…Quantitative results of this current research show that attachment to the place where the festival is held predicts on-site eco-friendly behaviours that may require a higher level of personal commitment, for example, picking up other peoples' litter, only buying products with minimal packaging, reminding other people to put cigarette butts in the bin, and putting cardboard, papers and plastic bottles in recycling bins. Similarly, in the context of a tourist island, Cheng and Huang's (2012) study found that place attachment was strongly associated with pro-environmental behaviour, even though respondents were on holidays. However, the results of the present study differ from Cheng and Huang's study in that attendees at music festivals in the current study were willing to engage in activities that may require more personal commitment.…”

“…In the current study and other recent research, place attachment has been shown to be an important predictor of eco-friendly behaviours (Cheng, Wu, & Huang, 2012;Halpenny, 2010;Kyle et al, 2004;Vaske & Kobrin, 2001;Walker & Chapman, 2003). Quantitative results of this current research show that attachment to the place where the festival is held predicts on-site eco-friendly behaviours that may require a higher level of personal commitment, for example, picking up other peoples' litter, only buying products with minimal packaging, reminding other people to put cigarette butts in the bin, and putting cardboard, papers and plastic bottles in recycling bins.…”

What Attracts Tourists? Destinations Competitiveness Management through Tourism Attractions and Attractiveness

“…A atratividade do destino é um tema frequente de pesquisa em Turismo (Cheng et al, 2013). No Brasil, identificaram-se os estudos de Mascarenhas e Gândara (2012), que ressaltam a gastronomia como atração potencial de um destino.…”