Pro-environmental behaviour of the residents in sensitive tourism destinations

Abstract

This study focuses on the antecedents of sustainable development in tourism destinations and explores residents’ environmental knowledge and perceived justice and how these influence pro-environmental behaviour. The study discusses: (a) environmental knowledge and environmental sensitivity; (b) perceived justice and residents’ satisfaction; (c) place attachment; and (d) pro-environmental behaviour. By presenting seven hypotheses for analysis, the study develops a measurement framework that involves resident perception of justice in Kaifeng, one of the first sets of the 24 ‘Historical and Cultural Cities in China’. A pilot survey (103 respondents) and a final survey (558) were conducted to identify the role of the antecedents of residents’ pro-environmental behaviour in a tourism destination. The results reveal the positive influence of environmental knowledge, environmental sensitivity, and perceived justice on pro-environmental behaviour. This finding expands our cognition of the inter-relationships of the dimensions that belonged to the construct. The study illustrates that perceived justice significantly influences overall community satisfaction and indirectly impacts pro-environmental behaviour in tourism destinations. This pioneering study thus expands the early framework of pro-environmental behaviour and provides practical information to amplify the concept of justice in tourism studies.