Green-Induced tourist equity: the cross-level effect of regional environmental performance

Abstract

This study extends the customer equity paradigm to propose a green induced tourist equity model in the tourism context. Drawing on the attitude literature pertaining to subliminal persuasion and priming, we argue that the environment performance of the source market plays a pivotal role in inadvertently stimulate tourists to grave from a greener place to visit and hence, greater revisit desire for the destination. We develop a series of multilevel models to test individual-level direct effects leading from green equity to destination loyalty through value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity germane to a destination. We then tested the cross-level moderating effect emanating from source-market’s environmental performance to the proposed direct relationships. This study contributes to the literature by bridging the micro and macro perspective of sustainable tourism. It integrates both individual-level and source market regional-level factors into a multilevel framework to better assess how source-market environmental situations could unconsciously influence tourists greening perceptions and behaviors during their excursions. Applications of subliminal persuasion and priming in the current study also broaden the theoretical understanding of the role of attitude at an aggregate level, and they also help strengthen the linkage between regional environmental performance and tourists predispositions.