Research on the impact of restorative environmental perception on tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior in mountain-type scenic spots: taking Taishan Scenic Spot as an example

TL;DR

This study explores how tourists' experiences in mountain scenic spots influence their pro-environmental behavior through restorative environmental perception and satisfaction.

Contribution

The study introduces a validated theoretical model linking sports and environmental experiences to environmentally responsible behavior through restorative perception and satisfaction.

Findings

Environmental experience has a stronger effect on perceived restorativeness than exercise experience.

Satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between 'being away' and environmentally responsible behavior.

Improving sports and environmental experiences can enhance visitor satisfaction and pro-environmental actions.

Abstract

The environmental quality and sustainable development of mountain-type scenic spots are profoundly influenced by the behaviors of visitors. Tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior is crucial for maintaining this quality, yet the mechanisms linking it to restorative environmental perception, particularly within the context of sports tourism, require further exploration. This study, grounded in Attention Restoration Theory, investigates how tourists’ sports and environmental experiences in a mountain setting influence their environmentally responsible behavior, with a focus on the mediation effect of restorative environmental perception and satisfaction.

This study adopted a quantitative research approach, utilizing an on-site survey questionnaire to empirically investigate the proposed model. It evaluated tourists’ exercise experience, environmental experience, the four dimensions of restorative environmental perception (being away, extent, fascination, compatibility), satisfaction, and environmentally responsible behavior. Data were collected via on-site interviews from 233 tourists who had completed their hiking visit. The data analysis employed structural equation modeling using Amos 24.0 to test the hypothesized relationships and the SPSS PROCESS macro for mediation analysis, using bootstrapping to confirm indirect effects.

The findings indicate that both exercise experience and environmental experience positively influenced tourists’ perceived restorativeness, with environmental experience demonstrating a stronger overall effect. Specifically, environmental experience significantly and positively affected all four dimensions (being away: β = 0.553, extent: β = 0.854, fascination: β = 0.919, compatibility: β = 0.809), while exercise experience only positively influenced the “being away” dimension (β = 0.351). Furthermore, the “extent” (β = 0.372) and “compatibility” (β = 0.449) dimensions of perceived restorativeness, along with both experience types, significantly enhanced tourist satisfaction. Satisfaction, in turn, was a strong positive predictor of environmentally responsible behavior (β = 0.728). Mediation analysis confirmed that satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between “being away” and environmentally responsible behavior, and partially mediated the relationships for the other three dimensions. A significant chain mediation effect was also supported, revealing that perceived restorativeness and satisfaction sequentially transmit the influence of exercise experience onto environmentally responsible behavior.

For mountain-type scenic spots aiming to promote environmentally responsible behavior, enhancing both the sports and environmental experiences for tourists is paramount. By improving these experiences, destinations can foster a stronger sense of restorative perception and increase visitor satisfaction, which subsequently encourages pro-environmental actions. This study provides a validated theoretical model and practical insights for the sustainable management and market-specific strategy development of mountain tourism destinations. Moreover, the study reveals differential effects among restorative dimensions, providing nuanced insights into their distinct roles in the psychological restoration–behavior chain.

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