Ecotourism intention: the roles of environmental concern, time perspective and destination image

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine the decisive factors that affect travellers’ intention to visit ecotourism destinations. Design/methodology/approach Convenience sampling method was used to develop a research sample. The research sample includes visitors at eight ecotourism destinations in Vietnam who were randomly approached and agreed to participate in a structured questionnaire survey. The data set consists of 431 valid responses. A multivariate analysis method was used to analyse the data. Findings This study finds strong correlations between three factors that are important in determining the Vietnamese travellers’ intention to visit ecotourism locations. These are environmental concern, future time perspective (defined as individual views towards the importance of future time) and eco-destinations image (understood as individual perceptions of an ecotourism place). This study also reports robust associations between eco-destination image, future time perspective and environmental concern. Practical implications This study suggests policymakers in an emerging economy such as Vietnam to use efficient regulations on protecting the natural environment in tourism locations while tourism providers and marketers should invest in building eco-image of travel locations. This study also recommends public organisations to encourage greater awareness of the importance of environmental protection through education, propaganda and media as this will foster the demand for ecotourism. Last but not least, this study advises tourism marketers to develop marketing materials emphasising future time perspective and eco-destination images if they wish to promote ecotourism. Originality/value This study highlights the influential role of travellers’ future time perspective and eco-destination image in their travel intention. The existing literature does not pay sufficient attention to the impacts that these two considerations have on travellers’ environmental concerns and consequently stimulate their intention to visit ecotourism destinations. This study suggests relevant management strategies for the development of ecotourism in emerging economies.