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Measuring environmentally sustainable tourist behaviour

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  • Juvan, Emil
  • Dolnicar, Sara

Abstract

This study reveals substantial variation in estimates of the proportion of tourists behaving in an environmentally sustainable manner. Results indicate that the variation is explained by (1) definitions of environmentally sustainable tourist behaviour including—or not including—intent to protect the environment and (2) the use of either unprompted open-ended or prompted closed questions. The latter are associated with respondent’s tendencies to respond in a socially desirable way, thus artificially inflating the occurrence of environmentally sustainable tourist behaviour by as much as 74 per cent. Unprompted open-ended questions are not susceptible to social desirability bias. Future studies into environmentally sustainable tourist behaviour should measure actual observed behaviour. If this is not possible, unprompted open-ended approaches are recommended.

Suggested Citation

  • Juvan, Emil & Dolnicar, Sara, 2016. "Measuring environmentally sustainable tourist behaviour," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 30-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:59:y:2016:i:c:p:30-44
    DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2016.03.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, Tsung Hung & Jan, Fen-Hauh & Yang, Chung-Cheng, 2013. "Conceptualizing and measuring environmentally responsible behaviors from the perspective of community-based tourists," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 454-468.
    2. Fisher, Robert J, 1993. "Social Desirability Bias and the Validity of Indirect Questioning," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 20(2), pages 303-315, September.
    3. Noah J. Goldstein & Robert B. Cialdini & Vladas Griskevicius, 2008. "A Room with a Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to Motivate Environmental Conservation in Hotels," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 472-482, March.
    4. Hannarong SHAMSUB & Louis LEBEL, 2012. "Identifying Tourists With Sustainable Behaviour A Study Of International Tourists To Thailand," Journal of Advanced Research in Management, ASERS Publishing, vol. 3(1), pages 26-40.
    5. Han, Heesup & Hsu, Li-Tzang (Jane) & Sheu, Chwen, 2010. "Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to green hotel choice: Testing the effect of environmental friendly activities," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 325-334.
    6. Juvan, Emil & Dolnicar, Sara, 2014. "The attitude–behaviour gap in sustainable tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 76-95.
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