How eco-service quality affects tourist engagement behaviour in ecotourism: eco-consciousness and eco activity-based learning and S-O-R Theory

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine the growing role of eco-consciousness and eco-activity-based learning in the eco-service quality model and their effect on tourist engagement behaviour in ecotourism destinations. Based on the regression and FsQCA analysis on online travel reviews, the result shows a significant impact of eco-service quality on tourist satisfaction, further leading to their engagement behaviour in revisit, recommendation, and learning engagement. Interestingly, the result reveals that tourists’ eco-consciousness significantly stimulates their revisit engagement in ecotourism destinations. Furthermore, eco-activity-based learning also significantly moderates the relationship between the eco-tangible dimension (physical facilities provided in the ecolodges or hotels that are safe and sound for the environment) and tourists’ satisfaction. Theoretically, this study adds value to ecotourism literature by extending tourist engagement from psychological (satisfaction) to behavioural engagement (revisit, recommendation, learning engagement). Furthermore, using the S-O-R theory, this study highlights the stimuli of tourist satisfaction and subsequent behavioural responses through tourist engagement behaviour in the ecotourism context.