How and when does religiosity contribute to tourists’ intention to behave pro-environmentally in hotels?

Abstract

Tourists’ pro-environmental hotel behavior has a significant effect on the sustainable development of tourism and hospitality industry. This study examined the effect of religiosity on tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intention in hotels and explored the underlying mechanism and boundary condition for this effect. Data from 519 Chinese tourists indicated that intrinsic religiosity positively and directly affected tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intention in hotels, while extrinsic religiosity had no significant direct effect. Intrinsic religiosity and extrinsic religiosity both indirectly affected pro-environmental behavioral intention via frugality consciousness and connectedness to nature. In addition, the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intention was contingent on environmental concern, which positively moderated the relationships among them. This research contributed to the pro-environmental behavior literature by providing a deeper understanding of how and when religiosity affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intention in hotels.