Can tourists be educated? The effect of tourist environmental education on environmentally responsible behavior

Abstract

ABSTRACT How to arouse tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior (ERB)is an important research issue, especially as tourists’ mobility accelerates. Based on two emotion theories, this paper explores the role of environmental emotions and environmental values. The result of structural equation model indicates that 1) environmental education has a significant positive impact on environmental emotions and ERB, 2) environmental emotion plays a partially mediating role between environmental education and ERB, and 3) environmental values play a positive moderating role in the relationship between environmental education and tourists’ ERB. The findings have important practical implications for the administration of destination environments.