Ecotourism Behavior of Nature Based Tourists: An Integrative Framework
This study aims to examine an ecotourism behavioral model using environmental attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived ecotourism usefulness, biospheric value, ecotourism self identity, ecotourism behavioral intention, and ecotourism behavior among nature based tourists. The analysis tested ten hypotheses and integrated the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model, value belief norm theory, and social identity theory to provide an integrated ecotourism behavioral model for four important Taiwanese nature based tourism destinations. This integrated framework provides an approach to creating critical insights for nature based tourism researchers and managers to accurately grasp the factors that influence ecotourism behavior. Managers of nature based tourism destinations should offer ecotourism programs that focus on ecotourism experiences that increase ecotourism behavioral intentions by increasing levels of perceived ecotourism usefulness, biospheric value, ecotourism self identity, environmental attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, thereby enhancing ecotourism behavior at nature based tourism destinations and assisting in the development of sustainable tourism.